After Dark
by Elyanna
Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…
1. Chapter 1

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_2:07am_

It was the second time this week that she had found herself wide awake for no reason at all at this precise time, and the sixth over the last three weeks. Stefan lay soundly asleep beside her, his hand tucked behind his head, his legs tangled in the bed sheets. He didn't stir at all as she crept from the room, slipping one of his t-shirts over her head before stepping out onto the landing.

_2:09am_

He smiled to himself as he heard her footsteps pad down the staircase. She would be heading to the living room. He hadn't made her aware that he knew about her nightly excursions but he knew that increasingly, she couldn't find peace at night without a shot of his favourite Bourbon. He had been taking pleasure in the fact that she used his favourite glass to, the taste of her lips adding that extra kick to his own nightcaps.

_2:13am _

The Bourbon burned her throat as she swallowed a sizeable mouthful. She coughed a little, covering her mouth as the liquid warmed her from the inside and settled pleasantly in her stomach. She couldn't fault Damon in his choice of liquor - not that she was an expert... She wondered briefly how he would react if he knew that she was pilfering from his prized bottle - he made enough references to its cost and his distaste at anyone who dare attempt to drink any in his presence. But then again... needs must. She eyed Damon's leather jacket draped over the arm of the couch. She knew she shouldn't, but she just couldn't help herself.

_2:16am _

Her muffled cough amused him. He wondered if she drank it because she liked it or because she needed it. He had noted that her nightly wanderings usually coincided with the evenings that she made love with Stefan, an event which he would hazard a guess would be enough to drive any woman to drink. He smirked at his own joke and then refocused his attention on the sounds coming from downstairs.

_2:30am _

She settled on the sofa in front of the still burning fire. Damon mustn't have been asleep long... She realised that that meant he had likely heard her, with Stefan. A blush flooded her cheeks as she mentally scolded herself for forgetting that vampires had super hearing. She wondered then if he had heard other things, like her nightly trips to the living room. Bolt upright now, she twisted the hem of Stefan's t-shirt, replaying her recent conversations with Damon. Sure, he'd been his usual arrogant self but he'd not said anything to indicate he knew anything about her night time walkabouts. She sighed and closed her eyes as she settled back into the cushions. Content that he had no knowledge of her after dark activities, she drew his leather jacket around her and revelled in the fading taste of Bourbon on her lips.

_2:45am_

Content that she was soundly asleep, Damon made his way to the living room. He couldn't contain his curiosity anymore. He knew he was walking a dangerous road but he had to see for himself what was keeping her up at night. He peered through the living room doorway. The sight of Elena curled up on the couch blanketed with his leather jacket and smelling of his Bourbon stole all coherent thought from his mind.

_My, my Miss. Gilbert, what have we here?_

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><p><em><strong>Hi guys – this is my first attempt at DamonElena fanfic, hence why Chapter 1 is so short! I'd be glad to hear your thoughts so far and also welcome your views on what you'd like to see happen next (that is if you think it is worth continuing!). All feedback greatly received.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_**Thank you to those who left me a review and added this story to their alerts, here is Chapter 2 – dedicated to you!**_

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><p><em>Content that she was soundly asleep, Damon made his way to the living room. He couldn't contain his curiosity anymore. He knew he was walking a dangerous road but he had to see for himself what was keeping her up at night. He peered through the living room doorway. The sight of Elena curled up on the couch blanketed with his leather jacket and smelling of his Bourbon stole all coherent thought from his mind. <em>

_My, my Miss. Gilbert, what have we here?_

It wasn't until two weeks later that Elena found herself in the living room of the Boarding House in the early hours of the morning. This time was different from the others though. Stefan had gone hunting and she'd found herself alone in their bed, unable to sleep at all.

On the previous occasions she had gone to the living room, she had done so after awakening from a troubled sleep and hadn't allowed herself any time to consider the reasons why. Now, she was wide awake and all she could do was think. It wasn't that she was unhappy with Stefan and it wasn't like she didn't love him but there was a niggling feeling that kept permeating her subconscious to the point that she found herself becoming increasingly more unsettled. Yes, not unhappy… just unsettled.

The problem was, this feeling and the intensity of this feeling was straying more and more into her conscious thoughts. Otherwise, why would she have thought it a good idea to use Damon's jacket as a blanket?

She wandered aimlessly around the living room, trying to make sense of something that clearly didn't make sense. Yes, Damon was hot, yes, he liked her, yes, he would do anything in his power to protect her, yes, he was hot… She bit her lip at the repetition. _Damn it Elena, get a grip – you love Stefan. Stefan is hot._

It hadn't helped that Damon had hypnotised himself a girlfriend. Andie something or other. Miss hot shot journalist with legs up to her armpits. And they clearly had some chemistry – they couldn't keep their hands off each other…_ or their other body parts. _

Stefan said he thought Andie was good for Damon, that she was just what he needed – that behind the compulsion she actually did have some genuine feelings for him and he suspected that Damon felt for her to – on some basic level at least.

_Bingo. _

The thought that Damon could actually feel anything for someone other than her made her skin feel tight and her pulse quicken. She knew it was unfair, she wanted him to be happy – she was his friend and she was the one who had fought with him time and time again to hold on to whatever shred of humanity he could find… and he had. And it had led him to her. _To her bed._

Late at night, she would hear their giggles echoing up the landing; hear her moans as he touched her – or did whatever to her… She was pretty sure he drank from her. She'd noted that recently, Andie accessorised all of her outfits with a designer scarf.

Her stomach clenched. This thinking about things wasn't all it was cracked up to be. In fact it was downright uncomfortable. And she was pretty sure unnecessary now she had figured it out. A touch of jealousy, that was it. _Jealousy?_

She couldn't be – not of Andie and especially not of Andie being with Damon. As that would mean… that would mean things she was not even going to even contemplate, not now and not ever.

No – now she knew what had been bugging her, she could deal with it. She would make an effort to get to know Andie better. But then that would mean spending more time in Damon's company. Change of plan, she would just avoid them altogether. In fact, she might suggest to Stefan that they sleep over at her house for a few nights instead of sleeping at the Boarding House, at least until her unsettled feelings levelled out again. _See? Easy – problem solved._

She eyed the bottle of Bourbon from across the room. One last shot couldn't hurt could it? Just to get her through tonight. As she reached the table, she eyed the glass seated separately from the others, already filled with a measure of Bourbon; Damon's glass, accompanied by a note.

_Sweet dreams, Elena _

_- D_

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><p><em><strong>Thank you again to all whose who reviewed and alerted this story – it's inspired me so much! All feedback is greatly received :)<strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_She eyed the bottle of Bourbon from across the room. One last shot couldn't hurt could it? Just to get her through tonight. As she reached the table, she eyed the glass seated separately from the others, already filled with a measure of Bourbon; Damon's glass, accompanied by a note. _

_Sweet dreams, Elena _

_- D_

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><p><em>He smiled at her, his cerulean eyes sparking with mischief. "Hello, Elena."<em>

"_Damon." She looked around, realising she was in his bedroom – but not understanding quite how she'd gotten there. "What are you doing?"_

"_I think you'll find the more pertinent question to be, what are you doing?" He cocked his head to the side, his lips quirking into that smirk that irritated her to the point of distraction._

_She sighed. "Quit messing around – you brought me here, now tell me what's going on." Her brow furrowed in exasperation as she noted he was blocking the door._

_He stepped towards her, her body reacting at the increasing proximity. "Try again, honey."_

_She eyed the room for another exit but found herself assessing the larger-than-it-should-be four poster bed. The sheets were rumpled, like he'd been rolling around in it for fun. Probably with Andie. She pursed her lips. _

"_So that's what's rattling your cage." He mused. "You don't like my girlfriend." _

_She snorted. "Girlfriend? Seriously? She's the latest in a long line and I'm sure she won't be the last." She felt her heart pulse quicken. Lies, lies, lies…_

"_Now why would you, as in Elena – innocent, pure, totally in love with my brother, Elena – give a second thought to my bed pals?" He stepped forward again, until he was so close she had to tilt her chin to look him in the eye. "And what's more why would you lie about it?"_

_She shuddered. "Look, Damon. I don't know where you're getting this from-"_

_He interrupted her, his hand caressing her cheek as he leaned to whisper in her ear. "From your pretty little head, that's where."_

_She moved to step back but other hand gripped her forearm. She gasped at the contact. "Please, don't."_

"_Don't what, Elena? This is all you – this is what I think they call wish fulfilment. You've spent all those nights thinking of me, using me and my Bourbon as your personal sleep aids and yet here you are, still fighting whatever it is that's causing you to feel so… unsettled."_

"_How..?" She whispered. Her eyes wide, lost in the depth of his ice-blue gaze which was currently fixing her to the spot._

_He smiled. "No Elena – the question is why?" His eyes softened and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear._

"_I can't help it." She whispered. "I've tried not think about you but I just can't help myself." Her body relaxed then, loose within his grip – lost to the vulnerability she saw shining in his eyes._

"_What do you think about me?" He murmured, almost unable to believe he was hearing these words fall from her lips._

"_I think about how it would feel if you were to put your hands on me." She stuttered a little as she heard the words spoken aloud for the first time._

"_But my hands are on you right now…" He slid them from her arm and her cheek slowly and teasingly down her sides until they rested lightly on her hips. He gasped as he watched her body react to the trail of his touch, feeling her shake under his fingertips, he couldn't help but grip her tightly._

"_I know – and it feels like…" She paused, licking her lips as she tried to articulate what it was that this man made her feel that no other man was capable of._

_His breathing deepened as he waited for the words to spill from her._

"_Like I might stop breathing if you stop touching me." She swayed a little, unable to keep still under the heat of his gaze – mesmerised by the darkening of his eyes from ice to indigo. "Don't stop touching me, Damon."_

_He looked down at her sadly. "You have no idea right now how much I wish this were real, Elena. You have no idea how much I wish you would say these words to me for real." He gritted his teeth as though in pain._

_He dropped a kiss to her forehead. Her eyelids felt heavy all of a sudden. She felt her body grow lighter as her eyes fell shut, the blackness pulling her from Damon's arms. _

Her eyes flew open, momentarily blinded by the sunlight flooding the room. Her chest was heaving as she gasped for breath as the memories from her dream overloaded her senses. She knew it was a dream, she knew it wasn't real but she couldn't understand why she could still feel it – why she could still feel the warmth of his lips on her forehead.

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><p><em><strong>Once again, thank you so much to those who have reviewed this story and have added this story to their alerts - your interest in this story is what makes me continue to write it - not to mention the huge love I have for Delena and for seeing them together as they deserve to be... x<strong>_


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

"_Like I might stop breathing if you stop touching me." She swayed a little, unable to keep still under the heat of his gaze – mesmerised by the darkening of his eyes from ice to indigo. "Don't stop touching me, Damon."_

_He looked down at her sadly. "You have no idea right now how much I wish this were real, Elena. You have no idea how much I wish you would say these words to me for real." He gritted his teeth as though in pain._

_He dropped a kiss to her forehead. Her eyelids felt heavy all of a sudden. She felt her body grow lighter as her eyes fell shut, the blackness pulling her from Damon's arms. _

_Her eyes flew open, momentarily blinded by the sunlight flooding the room. Her chest was heaving as she gasped for breath as the memories from her dream overloaded her senses. She knew it was a dream, she knew it wasn't real but she couldn't understand why she could still it – why she could still feel the warmth of his lips on her forehead._

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><p>"Evening brother." Damon nodded at Stefan then motioned to the barmaid as he slid onto a nearby barstool.<p>

"Damon." Stefan eyed his brother with suspicion. "Has the alcohol supply at the Boarding House finally dried up?" He didn't usually hit the bars unless something serious was up.

"We don't have the variety required to satisfy my mood." He smirked as he observed the freshly poured tequila shots on the bar and the coy smile of the pretty blonde barmaid. She was a little too blonde and a little too un-Elena like.

Stefan sighed. "Let me guess – your wallowing in your Katherine-left-me-again pity pit."

"Maybe. Maybe I'm just wallowing for the sake of wallowing." Damon slugged a shot. "What about you?" He looked pointedly at the whiskey his brother was nursing.

"Waiting for Elena." Stefan shrugged.

"And spending time with Elena usually requires some form of intoxication does it?" Damon grinned, happy once more to be needling Stefan.

"Are we really going to do this? Talk about our problems to each other, like we care – really?" Stefan looked sideways at Damon, eyebrows raised.

"Let's face it, who else gives a shit about us in this town. Make the most of what you've got, that's what I say." He necked another tequila shot, hissing as the liquid burned his oesophagus.

Stefan mumbled as he took a considered sip of his drink.

"Didn't catch that, oh-maudlin-one." He leaned closer to Stefan, rocking a little on his stool.

"Me and Elena are having problems." Stefan whispered, hurriedly.

Damon, mid-shot, found himself choking and rocking dangerously on one stool leg. "Holy crap – give a guy heart attack. I thought you and Elena were all summer breezes and daisy chains." Righting himself and regaining his composure in order to not look too gleeful, he furrowed his brow. "I mean – what's up in Disneyland?"

"I wish I knew. I mean, the human blood thing knocked us for a while but I thought we were back on track you know – it's just… I don't know. Something just isn't right." Stefan hunched over his drink, swirling the contents of the glass.

"Well, that's a hell of a lot of not knowing anything if you ask me. Ever thought of asking her?"

"Oh Damon, how have I ever survived this long without your exceptional genius and amazing ideas? Of course I've asked her."

"And?" Damon carefully avoided Stefan's gaze, instead opting to examine his fourth tequila shot in detail.

"She said she feels unsettled but she doesn't know why, she just asked that I'm patient with her. I mean, it doesn't give me much to work with does it?" Stefan tapped his glass on the bar, gesturing to the barmaid for a refill.

Damon exhaled loudly and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it doesn't sound like game over. Just game on pause maybe? I mean, as long as things are still banging in the bedroom then you've got nothing to worry about." He looked around the bar, trying his best to appear nonchalant.

"I knew it was stupid to talk about this stuff with you. I bet you're just killing yourself trying not to laugh." Stefan huffed, slugging back his refreshed drink in one.

"Woah woah, broody boy. I was just saying…" He scrutinized Stefan's face carefully. "That's it isn't it – Elena has revoked your access to the goody drawer hasn't she?"

"No – it's just. Well, she says everything's fine – you know. But I can tell it's not. I just don't know how to fix it."

Damon looked at Stefan with as blank a face as he could manage. He actually did feel sorry for his brother – he had gone past the phase of wishing him mind-numbing pain and ill fortune for the rest of his undead life. He knew how much Elena meant to him and he knew how much it had taken for Stefan to actually confide in Damon about something so personal given all they had been through. But at the same time, he couldn't help the swell of excitement gathering in his stomach.

He decided flippant was the safest way to go so he snorted and patted his brother on the back. "She'll come a-running bro, you're a vampire with skills that no human could ever come close to measuring up to. It'll work out."

Stefan gave him a watery smile, a thank-you of sorts.

"Stefan?" Elena appeared at Stefan's other side, her smile faltering as her eyes met Damon's. "Damon."

"Elena." He smiled and raised his glass to her before necking its contents.

"See you later." Stefan gave a half wave as he slipped his arm around Elena's shoulder and manoeuvred them to a booth on the far side of the room.

The barmaid appeared, as if summoned, armed with the tequila bottle and a perkier than earlier cleavage. She was trying really hard to capture his attention. But tonight, he found himself less than interested. He was unmoved by the thought of even compelling her long enough to drink her blood. No, he had other things on his mind.

Triangulating what his brother had said with what he had gleaned from Elena over these past weeks and nights, he realised he knew more than either of them about their situation.

And he knew, even if they didn't, that somehow he was slap bang in the middle of it.

Now the question was, what was he going to do about it?

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><p><em><strong>Thank you once more for the support you guys are showing this story - each alert and review makes me grin like an idiot! You've really made me feel welcome here and I'm glad I'm doing my bit for Team Delena! I hope you guys like this update :)<strong>_


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_**Yes, two chapters in one day – I just couldn't help myself – the last chapter was more about contextualising Damon and Elena's situation, and to an extent so is this one BUT Damon does actually take some action now he thinks he's got the situation sussed…**_

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><p><em>Triangulating what his brother had said with what he had gleaned from Elena over these past weeks and nights, he realised he knew more than either of them about their situation. <em>

_And he knew, even if they didn't, that somehow he was slap bang in the middle of it._

_Now the question was, what was he going to do about it?_

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><p>"Can vampires mess with your dreams?" Elena asked Caroline as they got into Caroline's car.<p>

"Some can, usually only the older ones. Why?" Caroline looked sideways at Elena before she stepped on the gas and drove out of the school lot.

"Just wondering. " Elena looked out of the window, lost in thought.

"Come on Miss. Secretive, you don't get off that easy. What's up?" She grinned as she saw Elena squirm in her seat.

"I just had a very vivid dream that's all. I was just curious if it would be possible for a vampire to do something like that – and you've just confirmed they can, so thanks." Elena hit the radio button and hiked the volume slightly.

"Not a problem." Caroline knocked the radio off. "So – what did you dream about? Or should I say who?" Seeing Elena's pursed lips she shrieked. "Oh, Elena – seriously! We've been BFFs since first grade and you're shutting me down?"

Elena flushed. "Look, if I tell you, you have to swear that you will not repeat a word of what I say to anyone. And I mean anyone."

"I swear, I swear!" Caroline giggled.

"It's Damon." Elena murmured.

"You're joking!" Caroline squealed but upon seeing her best friend's face bloom a rosier shade of red, she bit her lip. "You're not joking."

"Trust me when I say I wish I was. It's so confusing, it's like my mind is playing tricks on me."

"Or someone else is. That was what you were thinking right?" Caroline prodded.

"I guess. I mean, I hope so." Elena averted her gaze to the passing scenery again.

"Well, let's start with what happened in the dream. Was it all candles, music and romance or was it all work tops, messy food and ripped clothes – because with Damon, you know, it could go either way."

"Ewww Caroline! No – it was just me and him, in his room – talking."

Caroline furrowed her brow. "God, I mean how boring is that? Sorry to say it hun but that's gotta be all you."

Elena looked at her friend in disbelief. "Gee – thanks Car!"

"You know what I mean! I mean, if it were Damon he would not waste the opportunity of rocking dream-Elena's world if he had the chance now would he? You're assuming that he was in there to have a gossip with you when he could just as easily do that on any other day of the week ending in Y."

"And you're assuming that Damon only wants to 'rock my world'!" She deflected, thinking it best not to divulge all of the details of her dream.

Caroline swung the car into a parking space outside the Grill. "Look, Elena – I don't know a lot about a lot and I don't pretend that I do, but if there's one thing I do know – it's how Damon looks at you. You can't tell me you haven't seen it."

"I haven't." Elena whispered. _Hello, denial?_

"Whatever the cause of that dream, whatever was said in that dream, I'm telling you now that you've got bigger worries than that." At Elena's quizzical gaze she sighed. "Stefan?"

"I love Stefan." Elena trailed off as she felt the words roll around her mouth and fall from her lips.

"But…" Caroline tilted her head and waited.

"Ever since the human blood thing it's like, I lost something somewhere. But I don't know what it is or how to find it again. I mean, when he touches me it's like… like I'm suffocating."

"Does Stefan know?"

"About the dream? No!" Elena gasped. "No way – he just knows that I'm unsettled and I've asked him to give me some time."

"So you're like on a break? Ross and Rachel style?" Caroline giggled.

"No, it's just we've cooled it a little. Like, we don't see each other every single day and instead of sleeping at the Boarding House when we're together, we sleep at my house…"

"So this isn't about having a break from Stefan, this is about avoiding Damon."

Elena narrowed her eyes at her friend. "No – it's about changing things up a little and cooling things down a little."

"And what on earth will this changing and cooling things achieve?"

"That's it – I just don't know." Elena replied sadly.

They stepped out of the car and linked arms as they strolled towards the Grill.

"You know I'm here for you if you need to talk sweetie but I don't think I can help you out of this one. I think you're going to have to figure this one out on your own." Caroline squeezed her friends arm. "But I can give you one bit of advice… keep dreaming, as Damon is every bit the demon in the sack!"

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><p>Later that night as Elena sat at her window with her journal open at a blank page on her lap, she thought back to her conversation with Caroline. The only thing that resonated in her brain besides Caroline's affirmation that Damon was a 'demon' in the sack was Caroline's observation of how Damon looked at her. She'd pretended she hadn't seen it but she had. The truth was, it was getting harder and harder to pretend.<p>

She slipped a piece of card out from the back of her journal – Damon's note wishing her sweet dreams.

Now he knew everything and she knew nothing.

Sighing, she closed her journal and concealed it in its hiding place before slipping into bed. She tried to sleep but she couldn't escape the memory of the heat of Damon's gaze as he'd told her how he wished her words were real or the feel of his hands gripping her hips tightly like he was afraid of letting her go.

She kicked at her bed sheets angrily – it appeared she didn't need to be dreaming to be harassed by Damon. Flinging two of her pillows across the room, she heard something drop from her bed. Bending down, she retrieved a cell phone – it wasn't hers yet it had been in her bed covers – it didn't look like Bonnie's or Caroline's and they hadn't been in her room in over a week. And it wasn't Stefan's, he'd texted her only an hour ago to check she had got home ok.

As she held it, musing over its owner, it vibrated in her hand.

_1 New Message_

She flipped open the phone and opened the message without even thinking.

_Having trouble sleeping? _

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><p><em><strong>I really hope you guys are still with me – your alerts and reviews mean the world to me – I'd really love to hear what you're thinking about things so far – feedback feeds the muse! :)<strong>_


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_She kicked at her bed sheets angrily – it appeared she didn't need to be dreaming to be harassed by Damon. Flinging two of her pillows across the room, she heard something drop from her bed. Bending down, she retrieved a cell phone – it wasn't hers yet it had been in her bed covers – it didn't look like Bonnie's or Caroline's and they hadn't been in her room in over a week. And it wasn't Stefan's, he'd texted her only an hour ago to check she had got home ok. _

_As she held it, musing over its owner, it vibrated in her hand._

_1 New Message_

_She flipped open the phone and opened the message without even thinking. _

_Having trouble sleeping? _

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><p>Elena frowned at the phone, its message taunting her with its ambiguity. She tapped out a reply.<p>

_Who is this?_

Almost instantly, a new message flashed onto the screen.

_Three guesses, green eyes._

Whoever these messages were meant for, they clearly weren't for her. She smiled to herself as she replied, relieved.

_My eyes are brown. Wrong number!_

Again, within seconds, a response.

_You're eyes ARE __green – when you're jealous._

Gasping, she almost dropped the phone.

_Damon?_

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><p>Across town, Damon chuckled to himself as he hit 'Reply'.<p>

_Elena._

Sometimes, he was just too good. He knew she would never speak to him about what was going on between them or about what was going on between her and Stefan. He also knew that her plan was to avoid him as much as she could – likely until she hoped he would forget. But this wasn't something he was neither able nor willing to forget.

He smirked as his phone flashed with a new message alert.

_Leave me alone._

She could hide behind Stefan as much as she liked but he would still find a way to get to her, whether she liked it or not. He licked his lips as he typed his reply.

_Now where would the fun be in that?_

He toed off his boots and sat on the edge of his bed, already feeling lighter due to his contact with Elena. Just the thought of her clutching that phone in her bed on the other side of town while thinking of him was enough to bring peace to his troubled mind. Though he was pretty sure the same couldn't be said for her. Well, not yet anyway.

His phone lit up. A reply. How interesting.

_Get your kicks some other way Damon. I'm not in the mood for your games. Good night._

He winced in mock pain. Damn, that girl needed to unwind. He was also acutely aware of the fact that since she had correctly identified him as her mystery texter, she had replied not just once but twice.

_What are you in the mood for?_

Almost immediately, his phone flashed again.

_Sleep._

Holding on to the thought that there were battles and wars, he conceded defeat.

_Sweet dreams, Elena _

He dropped his phone on the dresser and stripped. A hot shower and some particularly hot thoughts about Elena would be all he needed to send him on his way to dream land tonight. Just knowing that he had a direct line to her that nobody knew about, could intrude on or censor in any way was enough to make him feel high. No more pouty lips and flouncing off from Elena, no more glaring looks from his baby brother on the sidelines, no judgy diatribes from witchy poo – no, this line of communication had all kinds of potential.

* * *

><p>Elena rolled onto her back, silently fuming at the ceiling. If she thought sleep had been impossible before, it was certainly impossible now. What was he playing at? <em>Asshole.<em>

She turned to look at the cell phone on her nightstand and glared at it. Groaning, she reached for it and flicked through the messages that she had received. They weren't unfriendly, offensive or threatening. They were just… Damon. Frustrating yet playful. Before she could prevent it, a smile curled the corners of her lips. _I am so doomed._

* * *

><p>Over the next few days, the phone remained silent – not even a prank call. And she knew because she checked it at least five times a day, in the hope that she would hear from him again. Which was stupid – because she could go over to the Boarding House and talk to him, in the flesh – face to face. But there was no need to – Stefan was coming to her house as opposed to her going to the Boarding House and there were no killer vampires on the loose for them to plot, plan and scheme about. So in effect, her plan to avoid Damon had worked. <em>Apart from the cell phone.<em>

"Sorry what?" She was drawn from her musings by Stefan and Caroline who were looking at her expectantly as she pushed her food aimlessly around her plate.

"Hall-ow-een Par-ty." Caroline said slowly. "Fri-day night."

Elena giggled. "Right, right. Yep, I'm in."

Stefan clasped her hand and squeezed it. "Me to – I'm sure Damon won't mind making himself scarce for a night."

"What?" Elena looked at Stefan alarmed.

He kissed the back of her hand. "You really did zone out! Caroline was stuck for a venue as the Grill is already booked so I suggested having it at the Boarding House. It's big enough."

"And creepy enough." Caroline clapped her hands together. "I mean – you know, atmospheric." She corrected with an apologetic glance at Stefan.

He shrugged. "No you're right, it's creepy. Just happy I can help."

"Don't we usually have a Halloween party at school?" A party at the Boarding House was the last thing she needed right now.

"The budget is tight this year – we had a choice between a Halloween Party or a Decade Dance and of course everyone voted for a Decade Dance. But that doesn't mean we have to miss out altogether right? I mean – Matt can sort us out with some discounted beer, Stefan has provided us with a venue and I shall take care of the rest!"

"Wow, you've thought of everything." Elena smiled tightly.

"Well duh – of course I have! Apart from a costume – I'm torn between Catwoman and a vampire. What do you think?" Caroline was practically bouncing.

"Catwoman." Elena and Stefan replied simultaneously.

"Ok, ok. Too on the nose right? Or I could go as a sexy witch... that is unless Bonnie is going to go as one." Caroline continued.

Stefan kissed Elena's forehead and stood. "I'll leave you ladies to plan your costumes whilst I go and collect my History essay from Alaric."

Elena smiled up at him as genuinely as she could manage and waited until he left the canteen before she rounded on Caroline.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Elena – you need to calm down. Like, seriously. Stefan has already said Damon won't be there." Caroline looked at her friend with a mixture of impatience and concern.

"But you know what's going on." Elena begged. "Please don't do this; I'll help you find another venue!"

"Wait a minute – the last I heard, all that was going on was that you had a boring dream about a guy and you were having doubts about your feelings for another guy. It's hardly the relationship drama of the century is it? I mean, if you think about it – I'm actually doing you a favour. It will give you the perfect opportunity to dress hot and sexy for Stefan and spend some quality fun time together instead of moping around your bedroom avoiding he-who-must-not-be-named. Who may I remind you, yet again, will not be there."

Elena's jaw dropped, not quite able to process what Caroline had just said. But then she remembered that that was actually all Caroline _did_ know. She didn't know what had actually happened in her dream, she didn't know about the cell phone and she didn't know about Elena's night time wanderings before any of the above became relevant.

In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she found she could actually get on board with Caroline's perspective. This _was_ a great opportunity to reconnect with Stefan.

She exhaled. "Ok, ok. You're right. I'm being stupid."

"The stupidest." Caroline laughed. "So – about your costume…"

* * *

><p>Later that evening, the contents of her wardrobe were spread around her room as she assessed them looking for some kind of inspiration for a costume. She had been sure she had some old Halloween costumes buried at the back but she must have threw them out when she tidied her closet in the Spring.<p>

She had promised Caroline she wouldn't dress as Catwoman, a vampire or a sexy witch which meant she was going to have to be a little more creative. Caroline had suggested going as a sexy devil but she found herself thinking that going as Sookie Stackhouse or Bella Swan would be a lot easier as well as cheaper. She sank to the floor and rested her back against the foot of her bed_. I wonder which costume Damon would prefer._

She groaned and rolled onto her side. What the hell was wrong with her? Damon wouldn't be there, she was dressing to impress Stefan and she couldn't care less which costume Damon would prefer. _Liar._

She would speak to Stefan, that's what she would do. They'd do a couple-costume or something. Anything that would take away the stress of choosing what to wear herself.

As she lay there, contemplating the increasingly irritating intrusion of her subconscious thoughts into her conscious ones, she heard a faint buzzing sound.

Sitting up, she looked around her room – her gaze settling on her school bag. _The cell phone._

Scrambling to her feet, she took the phone from her bag and flipped it open.

_1 New Message_

Taking a deep breath, she pressed 'Read'.

_I think you'd make one hell of a sexy devil._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Huge thanks again for your overwhelming support for this story – your reviews are so thoughtful and they make me so happy! I hope you guys like this update – the plot is indeed thickening!<strong>_

_**Also – I've got a twitter account now – ElyannaS – please feel free to drop by and say hi :)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

><p><em>She groaned and rolled onto her side. What the hell was wrong with her? Damon wouldn't be there, she was dressing to impress Stefan and she couldn't care less which costume Damon would prefer. Liar. <em>

_She would speak to Stefan, that's what she would do. They'd do a couple-costume or something. Anything that would take away the stress of choosing what to wear herself._

_As she lay there, contemplating the increasingly irritating intrusion of her subconscious thoughts into her conscious ones, she heard a faint buzzing sound. _

_Sitting up, she looked around her room – her gaze settling on her school bag. The cell phone._

_Scrambling to her feet, she took the phone from her bag and flipped it open. _

_1 New Message_

_Taking a deep breath, she pressed 'Read'._

_I think you'd make one hell of a sexy devil._

* * *

><p>Elena hummed along to the radio as she carefully styled her hair. Given Damon's absence from the Boarding House, she had agreed to get ready there for ease and also to be ready in time to help Caroline with her final touches to the decorations.<p>

The staircase and hallways were already draped with cobwebs and lined with skeletons, bats and pumpkin lights but the living room and the kitchen needed some preparation in terms of laying out the food and setting up the sound system.

She smiled to herself as she eyed her costume in the mirror, hanging on the door of Stefan's closet. She had opted for a dark red lace and silk devil dress with a black ribbon at the waist to accentuate the curve of her hips. Black stiletto heels, a pitchfork and devil horns completed the outfit. _He's going to love it. Well, he would if he were here..._

"Stefan is totally going to trip over himself when he sees you in that." Caroline whistled as she entered the room, already dressed and ready to go in her black PVC catsuit complete with tail and matching ears.

"Just what I was thinking." Elena smiled tightly. _I'm going to hell but hey, at least I'll be dressed appropriately._ "What have you got there?"

Caroline placed a large box on the bed. "Not sure, a UPS guy just dropped it off – but it's got your name on, are you expecting anything?"

Elena frowned. "No, I'm not." She looked at the box, black and plain, labelled with just her name and the address of the Boarding House.

"It's not ticking, so that's a good sign right?" Caroline said, hopefully.

Elena rolled her eyes as she lifted the lid of the box. Inside, nestled in red tissue paper was a black lace lingerie set accented with appropriately placed small red bows.

"Holy crap! Stefan must have one hell of an after party planned for you." She giggled, nudging Elena with her hip. "You can put it on under your outfit, you know – to save time later."

Elena flushed. "Yeah, I guess."

"This night is going to be a-ma-zing!" Caroline sing-songed. "Now hurry up and get ready – we've still got lots to do!" She bounced out of the room.

Elena lifted the lingerie set out of the box, impressed that it was the right size. Stefan really was attentive – but she was a little surprised that Stefan would buy her something like this. He usually preferred to see her in something more demure and pastel coloured. No, the more she thought about it, this wasn't Stefan's taste at all nor was it his style to send her gifts by delivery truck. She imagined it would be something more Damon's taste… _Damon. _

* * *

><p>It was 11pm and the party was not only in full swing, it was a huge success. The house was crammed full of people, the living room had become the dance floor and the beer was free flowing. Nothing had been broken and nobody had started a fight and Caroline was grinning from ear to ear. Elena nodded at her across the room, laughing as her friend flashed her an exaggerated thumbs up. Tyler, appearing behind her, slipped his arm around her waist causing her to turn and kiss him full on, on the lips.<p>

Deciding now would be a good time to get a top up, Elena attempted to manoeuvre herself through the hallway to the kitchen. She apologised blindly as she bumped into various people, gently nudging them to the side in order to make her way past. Then a hand tugged at her elbow, almost causing her to stumble. Before she could curse, she was spun around to find herself looking up at Damon.

Her curse died on her lips as she found herself speechless, the feel of his touch on her bare skin effectively gluing her to the spot. He looked dishevelled and smelled strongly of Bourbon, his breath warm on her cheek as he bent over slightly to whisper in her ear. "I was right, you look amazing."

"What are you doing here?" She mumbled, her breathing getting heavier as she looked from his eyes, to his hand on her arm and back up to his eyes again.

"I had to see you. I couldn't _not see you_ anymore." His lips narrowed into a line as he fought to keep himself from shoving her into the nearest corner.

"You don't need to see me." She said as flatly as she could manage as she felt her body tense under his intense scrutiny.

"No, Elena, I do. All I need is to see you. To talk to you. To touch you." His voice became hoarse as he inched his body closer to hers. She was practically pressed against him from chest to knee.

"What are we doing?" She murmured, her eyelids fluttering as the smell of his cologne sparked off another wave of sensation through her body.

"I wish I knew. I wish I knew why you drank my Bourbon and snuggled with my jacket to help you sleep. I wish I knew why you felt the way you feel when I touch you. I wish that it was me you were dressing up for tonight. I wish so hard that when you unpeel that sexy little costume it would be me lying on the bed watching you reveal that black lace bra and panties, thanking the sun, the stars and the moon that you were mine." His eyes were blazing now, his own breath hitching as he dropped his hands from her arms.

Shocked at the disconnection from his touch, she stumbled backwards. "I-"

"Shhhh." He raised a finger to his lips, and stepped backwards before disappearing into the crowd.

"Elena?" She visibly jumped as Stefan appeared behind her. "Was that Damon?"

She turned and nodded, quickly winding her arms around Stefan's waist, resting her head on his chest before he could see her eyes filling with tears. "He's gone again now."

* * *

><p>It was 2am and the party had finally drawn to a close. Not sure what to do with herself, Elena hovered at the end of the bed as she watched Stefan undress and then climb between the sheets.<p>

"Hurry up, the bed is freezing and I need you to warm me up." He grinned at her suggestively.

It was too much. The words Damon had said to her rolled around and around in her mind. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Making a grab for her overnight bag, she flashed Stefan a weak smile and dashed out of the room.

"Back in a minute," she called out over her shoulder as she ran to the bathroom and locked the door.

Quickly, she stepped out of her costume and moved to stand in front of the full length mirror. He had picked this lingerie for her, with_ them_ in mind. _With them together. _This is what he fantasised about. When he saw her, he saw her like this. The black lace against her olive skin made her look sophisticated and sexy, the red bows a tasteful yet playful addition. She ran her hands over her arms, across her stomach and over her hips. She liked seeing herself through Damon's eyes.

Taking a deep breath, she extracted the cell phone from its hiding place at the bottom of her bag.

* * *

><p>Damon rolled onto his back, untangling himself from Andie who was already asleep. <em>Thank god.<em> After his encounter with Elena, he'd done what he thought was the most sensible thing to do – find someone to fuck to take his mind off the mess that was currently his life. He knew Elena was probably riding his brother right now and he couldn't face the thought of spending the night alone having to listen to that.

His phone beeped in his jeans pocket which were on the floor at the end of the bed. He groaned as he stood up, the Bourbon buzz quickly turning into one hell of a hangover. Gingerly, he reached for his jeans and pulled his phone out of the pocket.

_1 New Message_

Elena.

_It was for you. And so is this._

He hit scroll to reveal a picture – a picture of Elena – wearing the underwear he had bought for her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Just a quick note to thank you all once again for the support you've shown this story – the reviews and alerts are food for the muse! I'm really, really nervous about this chapter so I hope you like it and that you're sticking with it. All feedback is gratefully received :)<strong>_


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

_Damon rolled onto his back, untangling himself from Andie who was already asleep. Thank god. After his encounter with Elena, he'd done what he thought was the most sensible thing to do – find someone to fuck to take his mind off the mess that was currently his life. He knew Elena was probably riding his brother right now and he couldn't face the thought of spending the night alone having to listen to that._

_His phone beeped in his jeans pocket which were on the floor at the end of the bed. He groaned as he stood up, the Bourbon buzz quickly turning into one hell of a hangover. Gingerly, he reached for his jeans and pulled his phone out of the pocket._

_1 New Message_

_Elena._

_It was for you. And so is this._

_He hit scroll to reveal a picture – a picture of Elena – wearing the underwear he had bought for her._

* * *

><p>She looked exquisite. Just as he imagined she would. The tan of her skin, her long brown hair and her chestnut coloured doe eyes. She was posing, her hand on her hip, her chest thrusting out and her chin tipped defiantly. She was a goddess. His desire for her did things to his body that he hadn't felt in almost 150 years. Not only did she appeal to his vampire, she appealed to his human. Just when he thought it had disappeared forever.<p>

"Stefan!" He heard Elena cry out from the other side of the Boarding House.

Slipping his jeans on, he flashed to the hallway outside Stefan's bedroom to find Stefan gripping Elena's wrist. His first reaction was to punch his brother but seeing the alarm on Elena's face, he took a deep breath and aimed for calm and collected.

"What's going on little brother? Your girlfriend just screamed loud enough to wake the dead." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Or in my case, keep the dead awake."

Stefan dropped Elena's wrist, the anguish evident on his face. "She was leaving."

Damon eyed Elena who for some reason was fully dressed with her overnight bag slung over her shoulder. _I wonder if she's still wearing that underwear…_

"Leave us alone, Damon." Stefan was teetering on the edge of one hell of an emotional explosion.

"I see that she's leaving. Though I fail to understand your problem when the last time I checked we were living in a free country." He raked his hand through his hair as though he was bored but stole another glance at Elena. Her body was shaking and she was fighting back tears. Fighting every urge in his body to reach out and pull her to him, he turned to look at Stefan. "Can we not resolve this in the morning like good little boys and girls? I'm tired and on the verge of a humongous hangover and I don't want to spend what's left of my night listening to you two bicker."

"I want to go home." Elena whispered, her eyes pleading with Stefan.

"I know you do, but you also want to break up with me and I can't help but feel that I deserve an explanation." His voice was low but his anger was loud and clear.

Damon had to fight to keep his features schooled upon hearing this revelation.

"I'm not breaking up with you, I just asked for some time apart to give me some space to think."

He could see she was fighting not to meet his eyes and in that moment he had never wished so hard that she would look at him, just to give him some kind of clue as to what was going on… some kind of idea if it had anything to do with him. _With them._

Seeing Stefan advance toward Elena again, he decided that enough was enough. "I'm sorry to have to interrupt your Dawson's Creek moment but trust me, you'll both thank me for this sooner or later. Stefan, I'll take Elena home and you go and catch a rabbit or something and we'll talk when I get back."

"No-" Stefan turned to Damon, his eyes dark.

"Yes." Damon said resolutely, holding his brother's gaze and nodding slowly. "You look like you're on the edge and you're scaring her."

As though a switch had been flipped, his brother's face became with etched with confusion and sorrow.

"Elena, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to – I just-" Stefan stuttered, reaching for her.

Damon bit his lip as he watched her flinch from Stefan's touch.

"I know, I know. Really, I get it." Elena gripped her bag tightly and moved to the side so she could step around Stefan and stand next to Damon.

Thrusting his hands in his pockets so he didn't risk any inappropriate contact, Damon cocked his head. "Come on, Cinderella."

"Damon?" A voice startled all three of them. "What's going on?" It was Andie. Dressed in one of his shirts and nothing else.

He knew Elena was looking at him now and he thought it ironic that now he didn't want to look back. He knew what he would see. Turning slowly, he looked into her eyes. The pain and the accusation that he saw in them made his dead heart ache in his chest. Suddenly aware again of the company they were in, Elena tucked her hair behind her ears and strode past Andie to the staircase. "I'll make it home on my own."

"Elena." Stefan shouted after her, following her down the staircase.

Damon didn't have to see her to feel her anger, it was crystal clear from the tone of her voice. "Stefan, please."

"Elena, listen to me." His brother was such a sap.

"No, you listen. Don't come near me. Don't call me. Don't even think about me. Right now, all I need is time by myself without you." Her speech was punctuated by the slamming of the front door.

"What did I miss?" Andie wound her arm around his neck as he closed his eyes to hide his despair.

* * *

><p>In the end, he'd compelled Andie to leave. It was easier than trying to come up with an explanation. And if he was honest, he didn't actually have one.<p>

After hearing Stefan slam his way around the Boarding House before finally going back to his bedroom, Damon had sneaked out of the Boarding House and flashed to Elena's. He had heard her at the front of the house on her cell, asking Jenna to come and collect her so he knew she had made it home safe. He just didn't know if she was okay. And he needed to know.

Opting for the stealthier window entrance, he moved the curtain aside before landing silently on the carpet. She wasn't in her room but he could hear the tap running in the bathroom. Suddenly he felt nervous, like boy-nervous-about-talking-to-girl nervous. _What was that about? _So he just stood there, by the window – ready to run just in case he couldn't deal with whatever it was she was about to say to him.

Then the bathroom door opened and there she was, wrapped in a fluffy robe with her hair pulled back from her face. And still she looked beautiful. Her eyes were hard, her mouth opening to speak. Before she could utter a syllable, he'd moved to stand in front of her, his finger to her lips.

The gesture clearly confused her as her eyes softened a little, her lips warm against his fingertip. He looked down at her, his eyes seeking to convey everything he felt in this moment – anguish, regret, fear and concern… but most of all need. A need to not talk, a need just to have her here, with him in this moment. No Stefan, no Andie, no cell phone, no Bourbon, just them.

She blinked and stepped back from his touch, her hands reaching for the belt of her robe. Without a word, she tugged it loose and let her robe fall to the floor revealing to him that she was still wearing the underwear that he had bought for her.

Watching his face absorb the sight of her stood like this before him made her body visibly shiver. He reached behind her to let down her hair, his fingers running through it as it fell around her shoulders before dropping his hand back to his sides. He could spend all night like this, just watching her stood before him, listening to her accelerated heart beat and watching the rise and fall of her chest as her inner conflict raged a war on her emotions.

In this moment, he knew that he was damned. That this woman, the woman who had assembled the broken pieces of his heart and stole it from him had the power to shatter it all over again. And he didn't know what to do about it.

She reached for his hand, lightly taking it in her own and led him to the bed. Turning back the covers and sliding between them, she moved aside to leave enough space for him to do the same. He looked down at her, unable to believe what was happening but at the same time knowing that nothing on this earth could remove him from this room.

He shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his boots before climbing into the bed beside her. She reached for him and he lifted his arm so she could lie against him and rest her head on his shoulder. He heard her sigh as she nuzzled closer to him, entwining her legs with his. Then she tilted her head back to look at him and he saw that she was smiling, really smiling and he couldn't help but smile back at her. Even though he had wished for this moment over a thousand times, to have Elena practically naked in his arms, he knew that this moment as it was now, was even better than he had ever imagined it to be.

He dropped a kiss to her forehead and she snuggled back into his shoulder. He whispered into the darkness as he heard her breathing begin to even out. "Sweet dreams, Elena."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Can I just say thank you SO much (again) to everyone has read, reviewed and added this story to their alerts? I'm 3 reviews from 50 and 3 alerts from 100. That is just amazing and I don't think you will ever know how much I appreciate it! I'm sorry it's taken so long to update – it was a very long and very busy week but I hope to be able to update more regularly again now the worst of it has passed :) <strong>_

_**I do hope you enjoy this chapter – please let me know what you think as without your feedback I think my muse would be starved!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

><p><em>He shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his boots before climbing into the bed beside her. She reached for him and he lifted his arm so she could lie against him and rest her head on his shoulder. He heard her sigh as she nuzzled closer to him, entwining her legs with his. Then she tilted her head back to look at him and he saw that she was smiling, really smiling and he couldn't help but smile back at her. Even though he had wished for this moment over a thousand times, to have Elena practically naked in his arms, he knew that this moment as it was now was even better than he ever imagined it to be. <em>

_He dropped a kiss to her forehead and she snuggled back into his shoulder. He whispered into the darkness as he heard her breathing begin to even out. "Sweet dreams, Elena."_

* * *

><p>As dawn broke, Elena stirred from her sleep to find herself entwined around Damon's body.<p>

"Morning." She murmured, carefully untangling her legs from his so she could put some distance between them.

"You have the cutest bed hair." His smile was soft and his eyes were sparkling with amusement.

"Well this is awkward." She tightened the cover around her, effectively separating herself from Damon altogether.

"It is?" He quirked an eyebrow at her as if to say _duh._

"In light of the fact that I'm wearing just my underwear, I'm going to say yes." She giggled a little, her cheeks flushing and she remembered how bold she had been last night. It was a million miles away from the embarrassment she was feeling right now.

"Surprising, considering it was you that instigated show and snuggle." He replied flippantly, trying to keep his voice light but already sensing she was retreating from him – not just physically, but emotionally.

"Don't."

She squeezed her eyes shut as if to hide from the swell of humiliation she was clearly feeling. "The harsh light of day."

"Something like that." She opened her eyes again and sighed, trying not to get distracted by his presence in her bed. _This sure isn't how my dreams go…_

He took a deep breath. _What the hell_. "Look, I don't know what's going on with us-"

"Funny, I was just going to say that about you and Andie." She bit her lip as the words escaped her mouth. _Where did that come from?_

"Me-ow." He grinned but then his face softened as he remembered the events of the night before and the look Elena had given him when she saw Andie in the hallway. "I'm sorry. I am. I just couldn't take-"

"No, I should be – and you shouldn't be – she is your girlfriend, it would be weird if you didn't… you know."

"You mean like you and Stefan don't?" He quipped, unable to hide his sarcasm.

She sat up and leaned her head against the headboard, drawing the sheets up with her. "And here we go again…"

"Elena, please." He rolled onto his side, reaching for her, his mind hitting overdrive when he saw that she pulled away from him.

"Me and Stefan, we're-"

"On a break, yeah I got that." He finished impatiently, his hand resting on the covers between them.

"But that doesn't mean that-" She could feel herself getting more and more worked up. Why couldn't she focus when he was near her?

"That what? That what happened last night meant something? Or even more so, what didn't happen last night meant something?" He reached for her then, his hand settling on her shoulder, not caring that her muscles tensed at the contact.

"Last night was…" She scrambled for words but she none would come as she felt herself falling into the depths of his cobalt gaze.

"Amazing, scary, beautiful…"

She gulped. "A time out."

"A what now?" He leaned back slightly, assessing her face to see if he could find any sense in what she was saying.

"Just because I'm not with Stefan right now doesn't mean that I should be with you." She murmured, her eyes pleading with him to not push her, to not push this – not now.

"Your body tells me different, Elena. I hear your heart race, I feel your skin burn, I see your pupils dilate and I smell your desire." His voice cracked, his eyes roaming her face settling on her lips, flitting to her neck and back again.

"Just because I'm attracted to you doesn't mean that I have feelings for you." She subconsciously licked at her lips, amazed at the way his eyes darkened from ice to indigo.

"Bullshit. Tell someone who doesn't know better. You can't sleep at night, you can't talk, hell you can't even stand up straight when we're in the same room. You bared yourself to me last night, willingly, and then you took me to your bed and you fell asleep in my arms." He lowered his head slightly, his breath hot on her face as she felt herself being dragged under the tide that was Damon.

"I love Stefan." She whispered hoarsely.

"But you want me."

He lowered his lips to hers, unable to contain a groan when she whimpered into his mouth as he deepened their kiss. Before he lost control, he forced himself to draw away. Her eyes were wild and her chest was heaving and he had never wanted her more.

"Elena? Who are you talking to?" _Jeremy._

"You may love Stefan but he can't make you feel the way that I feel." He traced the line of her jaw with his fingertips. "I'm not asking for a promise, I'm just asking for a chance."

Before she could respond, he disappeared out of the window – as Jeremy knocked at her bedroom door. "Elena?"

"Be right out." She ducked under her duvet.

* * *

><p>Elena dropped onto her bed, exhausted. She had spent the last three hours with Stefan, trying to explain to him why she wanted space, why she didn't want to be with him anymore – at least for now. She'd found it hard to explain as she wasn't quite sure she had the answers he wanted, she just knew that she couldn't continue pretending that everything was alright between them when it wasn't.<p>

Once upon a time, he had been her everything but ever since he had fallen off the wagon and been on a blood binge, they'd found it more and more difficult to be around each other without being consumed with feelings of guilt, anxiety and a tendency to overcompensate for their lack of emotional connection by pretending to be so ridiculously happy that her face ached from all of the forced enthusiasm.

She had expected him to acknowledge this, at least to an extent, but he was firmly living in denial land, happy to continue their relationship by whatever means he could just so he could be with her – at any cost. But she knew herself better than that, she couldn't stay with him just to keep him happy when she felt like she was suffocating with the claustrophobia of their situation.

And then there was Damon. She had been having confusing feelings about Stefan for weeks before Damon had entered the picture but on some subconscious level, her body had noticed him noticing her and she had been helpless to do anything but respond. She knew he wasn't to blame but she also knew that he had been a catalyst for the accelerated demise of her and Stefan's relationship.

She thought back to last night, how she had dared to send him a picture of her dressed in his gift, how when he had come to her, she had dropped her robe and invited him into her bed to hold her as she slept.

She rolled onto her front and buried her head in her pillows, smelling the scent of his cologne.

It was the first night in weeks, months even, that she had slept soundly. Peacefully.

She had no idea how in one moment he could soothe her body to the point of absolute bliss and in the next how he could make her feel so light headed with desire that she thought she might pass out.

And yet still she fought him, fought everything he made her feel. And for what?

She bounced her shins on the bed in frustration. _Damn him!_

A cough from the other side of her bedroom startled her. "Am I interrupting something?"

Elena scrambled off the bed, backing toward the bathroom door as she eyed her intruder with fear and suspicion.

"Oh, calm down. If I wanted you dead, you'd be snapped in two already. We have much more pressing matters to deal with."

"We?" Elena croaked.

"Yes, we." Katherine's eyes glinted in the darkness. "Come on, you could look a little happier to see me."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Your continued support for this story just blows me away - thank you so much to those who have left me such thoughtful reviews and added me to their favourites and alerts. The story is going to gather some pace now… so hold on tight! xxx<strong>_


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

><p><em>A cough from the other side of her bedroom startled her. "Am I interrupting something?"<em>

_Elena scrambled off the bed, backing toward the bathroom door as she eyed her intruder with fear and suspicion._

"_Oh, calm down. If I wanted you dead, you'd be snapped in two already. We have much more pressing matters to deal with."_

"_We?" Elena croaked. _

"_Yes, we." Katherine's eyes glinted in the darkness. "Come on, you could look a little happier to see me."_

* * *

><p>"Forgive me, I forgot what great friends we are." Elena replied, dryly.<p>

"And that's exactly why I came to you." Rolling her eyes at Elena's sceptical expression, she continued, "…because friends help each other out." Katherine smiled conspiratorially. "Don't they?"

"What do you want?" Elena tried to keep her voice from trembling.

"Oh, just your boring old human self to obtain something for me." Katherine tossed her hair over her shoulder and sat down nonchalantly on the bed.

"Why can't you compel some other human to get it for you?"

"Because my dear doppelganger, as you will know by now, when it comes to you and me nothing is ever simple. A vampire cannot penetrate the seal and neither can an ordinary human. Only a human with doppelganger blood can get me what I want."

"How inconvenient for you." Elena snapped.

"Those Bennett witches sure as hell had a sense of humour." Katherine eyed her fingernails, feigning boredom.

"And why should I help you?" Elena asked boldly, her hands on her hips as she stepped forward.

"Because if you don't, the vampire race will be wiped from this earth forever. Including your precious Stefan."

Elena gulped. "Dramatic much?"

"I like your sass but unfortunately, I don't have time for it. You need to come with me." Katherine stood, closing the distance between them.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Not without Damon and Stefan." Elena shook her head resolutely. "What?"

Katherine's eyes narrowed, assessing Elena carefully. "Damon and Stefan. Not Stefan and Damon? And why Damon at all?" She mused.

"They're brothers and they are both in danger." Elena stuttered.

"Now, now. I've been around a lot longer than you and I have enough personal experience with those brothers to spy a ménage-a-trois when I see one."

"Gross. No!" Elena twisted her face in disgust. "I'm not you."

"There is no sin in loving them both Elena." She murmured.

"Only pain." Elena whispered, before she could stop herself.

Katherine shrugged. "You're too virtuous to understand what you possess. You need to think of them as two sides of the same coin, not unlike you and me."

"Excuse me?"

"You and Stefan, you're innocent and pure and you try so hard to be what everyone expects you to be. Me and Damon, we're wild and reckless and our only goal is to achieve our desires. And regardless of what you may think of me, I desire the same as Damon. True, unconditional love in its purest form. And whilst I can only find what I seek in Stefan, Damon can only find what he seeks in you."

"What makes you the authority on what I do and do not feel? You're hardly a shining example of morality and wisdom." Elena spat whilst at the same time, her mind processed the words Katherine was saying to her.

"Look, I'm hardly Oprah but I can tell you this for nothing. The sooner you come to realise that Damon is your other half, the easier all of our lives will be. For a long time Damon thought that I was his salvation. But it is you. Just like Stefan is mine."

Before Elena could respond, Katherine gripped her wrist. "Share time is over. Places to go, people to see and all that."

* * *

><p>"Please tell me that you aren't going to wallow for too long." Damon sighed as he entered the living room to find Stefan cradling a bottle of brandy on the sofa. "Here's a tip, you might find the wallowing will pass quicker if you had better taste in alcohol."<p>

"Go away, Damon."

"Touchy, touchy. Look at you, all bent out of shape because your girlie doesn't want you anymore." He sniggered as he poured himself a shot of Bourbon.

"I mean it Damon, leave me alone." Stefan growled.

"Well, well – some things never change do they boys? I wonder what has got your panties all in a bunch." Katherine sing-songed from the doorway.

"Katherine." Stefan flashed from his prone position on the sofa to pin Katherine up against the door frame.

"I'm thrilled you remember. You know how I like it rough." She winked at Damon over Stefan's shoulder who had reacted to her presence with a mere eye roll.

"What on earth did I do to deserve seeing you again?" He muttered as he watched Stefan continue to press Katherine into the wall. Then he saw Elena appear behind her, her face calm but her body trembling at the attempt she was making to contain her fear.

"She needs my help." Elena managed to state calmly, only vaguely noticing Stefan release his grip on Katherine. Her eyes were locked onto Damon's who was stood on the opposite side of the room starting right back at her.

"I do love a soap opera." Katherine giggled as she watched the interactions unfold before her. "But we don't have time for all that now; we have booty to collect."

"We don't have _anything_ to do with you." Stefan hissed, his palms clenching at his sides.

"Has Bugs Bunny done this to you baby or are you off the wagon?" Katherine looked at him amused. "I can feel your anger. And I like it." She licked her lips.

"Ok, ok. What do you want, Katherine?" Damon interrupted as he watched Elena step around her to stand closer to him, effectively out of the reach of Katherine and Stefan.

"Just a magical bug-a-boo that I need the doppelganger to collect for me. She was adamant she wouldn't go anywhere without you, Damon." She let the statement hang for a moment before continuing, "…so I brought her here to prove to her that I didn't want to kill her, well not today anyway."

"If you harm her, I swear to god." Stefan's voice was low and cold.

"Calm down, honey. Really. Elena's fine. See?" Katherine pointed at Elena who by this point had navigated her way to the other side of the room and was stood at Damon's side. "There she is, stood right next to your brother. All in one piece."

Damon eyed Elena warily as he tried to fathom out how Katherine appeared to be up to speed on the situation with him and Elena. He didn't receive any answers from Elena though as she lowered her eyes to the floor.

The only person who didn't appear to have a clue as to what was going on was Stefan. _Nothing new there then. _Damon sighed. "Why should we help you?"

"Because if you don't you'll die. And so will I, and so will Stefan and every other vampire on this earth." Katherine shrugged.

"Well, I'd say that sounds like a good enough reason to me." Damon replied. "It's not like I've got anything better to do."

Stefan turned away from them all and began pacing in front of the fire place. "Fine." He mumbled to himself, digging his hands in his pockets.

Damon fixed Katherine with his gaze. "Ignore him, he's drunk. Now, got a plan you'd care to share?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Katherine grinned, reaching for the decanter of Bourbon and a glass.

Damon waited patiently, his hands at his sides, his body acutely aware of how close Elena was to him. And he didn't think Katherine or Stefan noticed when Elena carefully slipped her hand in his.

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><p><em><strong>I hope you like this chapter… so sorry for the delay. Unexpected events took over last week so I thought I had better post an update just incase something happens again next week! Though fingers crossed it won't ;-) Your feedback and support for this story continues to keep my muse well fed – please hit the review button and let me know what you guys think – I was a little worried about writing Katherine but I think it's worked out ok… do you? Even Katherine is #TeamDelena :)<strong>_


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

><p>"<em>Because if you don't you'll die. And so will I, and so will Stefan and every other vampire on this earth." Katherine shrugged. <em>

"_Well, I'd say that sounds like a good enough reason to me." Damon replied. "It's not like I've got anything better to do."_

_Stefan turned away from them all and began pacing in front of the fire place. "Fine." He mumbled to himself, digging his hands in his pockets._

_Damon fixed Katherine with his gaze. "Ignore him, he's drunk. Now, got a plan you'd care to share?" _

"_I thought you'd never ask." Katherine grinned, reaching for the decanter of Bourbon and a glass. _

_Damon waited patiently, his hands at his sides, his body acutely aware of how close Elena was to him. And he didn't think Katherine or Stefan noticed when Elena carefully slipped her hand in his._

* * *

><p>"I don't see why this is necessary." Stefan leaned on the bonnet of the Camaro, his brow furrowed in irritation.<p>

"I'm sorry, are you having trouble keeping up? My contact can't make it here before daybreak which means we have some time to kill." Katherine sighed.

"Besides, Elena is tired. She needs to rest." Damon looked at Elena's sleeping form in the backseat.

"How gentlemanly and observant of you." Katherine's lips quirked upwards.

"I can't believe you had the nerve to come back." Stefan was shaking his head.

"You really are a Slow Joe. I had no choice, impending death and doom and all that."

"Sure, that's what you say. Maybe this is some elaborate grand plan for something else." Stefan stood, moving to stand right in front of her face, eyes blazing.

"Like what, to get back my honey-bun?" She trailed her hand up his arm, looking at Damon knowingly. "Stefan, you are even more adorable than you were in 1864."

"Katherine." Damon's tone was low, his eyes relaying a warning.

"Damon." She grinned back at him.

"Damon?"

"Elena." Stefan moved from Katherine to Elena, who was now out of the Camaro and looking rather disoriented. "How are you feeling?"

"Now is not the time." Damon murmured, low enough for Katherine to hear but not as to catch Elena's attention.

"It so is." Katherine slipped her hand into her jeans pocket and produced two keys. "Two rooms, two keys."

"I'm not leaving you alone with Elena." Damon was growling now.

"Then I guess that means you're bunking with me." Katherine sidled up to Damon, her hips swaying and her red lips pouting seductively. "Why waste an opportunity?"

"No." Elena's voice was low but clear.

"Choices, choices." Katherine didn't look away from Damon. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him towards her.

Damon could see Elena close her eyes at the sight of his ex-girlfriend winding herself around his body.

"You'd really rather that I share with Katherine and you with Damon?" Stefan said disbelievingly. "Do I disgust you that much? That you'd happily let me share a room with her?"

"Elena is tired, Stefan. Let's let her get some." Katherine untangled herself from Damon and waggled her eyebrows at Elena. "Sleep, I mean." She grabbed Stefan's arm and carefully led him away, tossing the other key to Damon over her shoulder.

Stefan didn't fight her but he turned to look at Damon questioningly. Damon shrugged and watched until they disappeared into a room down the balcony.

Only then did he move, reaching for Elena's hand as he led them in the opposite direction.

* * *

><p>The motel room was dark, only the flickering light from the balcony outside illuminating the room. In the absence of flowing conversation, he'd opted to sit on a chair by the window with a bottle of Bourbon whilst she lay in the bed. In a tank top and shorts this time.<p>

"I'm sorry." Her voice broke through the darkness and he turned to look at her questioningly.

"For what?"

"For making you share a room with me." She sat up, resting on her elbow so she could see him better. His shirt was hanging open, his sculpted torso smooth and almost glowing in the light from outside.

"Is that what you think?" He slugged back the last of his drink.

"I saw you with Katherine. You say it will always be Stefan for me, but for you, it will always be her."

"What did you tell her about us?" Damon deflected, his eyes blazing sapphire.

"I didn't. She just guessed." Elena mumbled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

He felt his chest clench as he observed the line of her neck and the bare skin of her shoulder. "And what did she say?" He pressed.

"She said that Stefan and I are too alike to find happiness and so are you and Katherine." Elena licked her lips, absorbing the words as she said them herself out loud.

His eyebrow quirked in surprise. "That's rather astute for her."

Elena rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. "She also said that you were both wild and reckless in pursuit of your desires."

Damon snorted. "I'm sure you had plenty to tell her on that front."

Elena turned to look at him, smiling. "I wasn't feeling particularly share-y."

He moved to sit on the bed next to her, his hand resting millimetres from hers. "I'm glad."

She edged her hand forward, her fingertips touching his. "She said that you desire true and unconditional love in its purest form."

He looked at her and then she saw it. She saw what she'd been searching for all this time. He was laid bare for her, his eyes shimmering with vulnerability, his body trembling slightly as he fought his every instinct to wrap himself around her and never let her go.

"Why don't you let people see the good in you?" She rubbed her thumb on the inside of his wrist, watching his body react to her touch. His eyes slipped closed and his breathing quickened.

"Because when people see good, they expect good." He whispered, opening his eyes and blinking as he watched a tear track down her cheek. "No. Don't you pity me."

"I'm not. I just – I.."

"Why would you think that I can find true and unconditional love with Katherine?" He asked, his lips pursing as he attempted to regain his composure.

"I don't think you can." Elena looked up at him, her eyes sad and watery. "I just think you want to."

"Even now? After everything? After everything that we've been through, after everything that I've said to you?" He moved, too fast for her to see but she found her wrist held tight, her arm pinned to the length of his thigh.

"The way she is, she can be someone I can't – she can give you things-" Her voice broke as she remembered the way Katherine had curled herself around him.

"What things? There is nothing on this planet that that woman can give me that you can't." Damon was angry now. What on earth had made Elena doubt herself life this?

"You don't know that. She's – experienced." Elena whispered, a flush blossoming on her cheeks and neck.

"If you mean she's a skanky ho, then yes, you're right. But so what? I wouldn't want you to be that. You need to understand, you – Elena Gilbert – are everything that I could ever hope for, ever want – need even – in a woman."

"But Stefan said–" Elena sat up again, the tears falling freely now.

"Stop right there. I've heard enough." Damon let go of her wrist and stood up abruptly. He started pacing the length of the bed, his hand carding through his hair in exasperation.

"Damon, please."

"It's very important that you don't tell me what Stefan said about you and Katherine. If you tell me Elena, I won't be responsible for what I'll do."

Elena nodded and lay back drown, drawing the covers up to her chin. She'd never told anyone about it before, not even Caroline. She knew he'd said it in the height of his blood-frenzy but those words had stuck with her despite her having tried everything she could to block them out. She'd never spoken about it again, even after Stefan had 'recovered' but she knew he remembered them as well as she did. She knew that whatever she felt for Damon, that those words were the reason that her and Stefan had imploded. _She just wasn't enough for him anymore._ She knew she should care that Stefan was with Katherine, just a few doors away but she didn't. Damon had made her feel like perhaps, she was enough. For a short while at least, until she saw him with Katherine and realised that he felt the same as Stefan. Her body began trembling as she tried to dampen the waves of emotion coursing through her.

Damon, who had been lost in his rage, looked down at her then – taking in her trembling form. Without pausing to think, he peeled off his shirt, pushed down his jeans and climbed into the bed next to her. Her eyes were wide and glassy with tears. Without saying a word, he untucked the covers from around her body and pulled her to him, tangling his legs with hers and drawing her upper body against his chest.

She looked up at him, her breath quickening at the suddenness of his proximity and the intimate way their bodies were touching. Tentatively, she placed a hand on his chest, enjoying the way his face changed as she willingly explored his body. He fought to control himself, keen to not scare her by pushing her too fast but to prove to her at the same time that she was more than enough for him. That she was everything to him.

He covered her hand on his chest and lifted it slightly, smiling a little as she looked at him questioningly. He trailed her hand from his chest and dragged it down his body – over his abdomen and lower still, under the waistband of his boxer shorts until he settled it on his growing hardness. "Does this feel like you're not enough for me?"

She gasped, her pupils blown as she watched him bite his lip at the contact of her palm against him. Almost reflexively, she squeezed him gently in her hand, wetness dampening her panties as he let out a guttural groan at the pressure she applied.

"Elena." His hips jerked a little as she repeated the motion, rhythmically yet torturously gently.

Almost drunk at the sight of this man coming apart at the lightest of touches, Elena grew bold and tilted her head so she could bite at his neck.

At the feel of her teeth on his jugular, he bucked sharply into her hand, his eyes tight shut as though if he opened them, the spell would be broken and this moment would end.

Licking down to his collarbone, she breathed hotly against his skin, lost to the waves of power crashing through her body at the responsive of him underneath her. She felt like she was flying, like whatever it was that had been tethering her to the ground had snapped and suddenly she was free.

His eyelids fluttered open as she moved lower down his body. Seeing her licking down his chest only served to arouse him more, his jaw ticking as she carefully gripped the base of his cock.

"You're beautiful." She whispered, as she admired the ripple of his flexing muscles as his bucking hips increased in pace.

She marvelled at the feel of him in her hand, hard yet soft at the same time – hot and pulsing in her palm. He watched her through hooded eyes as she tentatively explored him, teasing him with the rhythms she had discovered made his hips move faster and his hand clench tighter on her shoulder. Never had he imagined that her touch would scorch him to the core of his soul, never had he imagined that she would look at him like the way she was looking at him now – like she wanted him, like she needed him, like maybe she could love him.

His hips pistoned off the bed and suddenly he roared. His cock exploded, thick jets of come erupted over her fingers and rained down on his stomach, his hips sputtering as ropes of fluid covered him and the surrounding covers.

"Damon." She watched in awe as his climax hit him full force, amazed at his beauty and the fact that it was her that had undone him so spectacularly.

"Elena." He panted, his eyes searching hers as his body calmed after the storm it had just rode through. "You see what you do to me?"

She looked at him then, truly looked at him. And she realised in that moment that she wanted to give him what he wanted. She wanted to be the one to give him what he truly desired.

"I see you, Damon."

He felt it. Whatever had happened in that moment, he felt it. Something deep inside of his chest shifted, like a puzzle piece being slotted into place and he knew that life as they knew it would never be the same again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I know this has taken longer than previous chapters but hopefully now you'll see why… Yes, I shamelessly used episode 3x19 for inspirationquotations and I hope that you'll agree that the way I've re-interpreted it works for this story. (Also, I slipped in a PS I Love You reference for those of you that are fans.. just because it seemed fitting!)**_

_**I'm really, really nervous about this chapter so please, please, please review…. Please? **_


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

"_Elena." He panted, his eyes searching hers as his body calmed after the storm it had just rode through. "You see what you do to me?"_

_She looked at him, truly looked at him – this fallen angel. And she realised in that moment that she wanted to give him what he wanted. She wanted to be the one to give him what he truly desired._

"_I see you, Damon."_

_He felt it. Whatever had happened in that moment, he felt it. Something deep inside of his chest shifted, like a puzzle piece being slotted into place and he knew that life as he knew it would never be the same again._

* * *

><p>A persistent knocking on their motel room door jarred Elena awake. Damon was curled around her body, his arm around her middle holding her tightly to him. She felt him stir as the banging continued.<p>

"Elena?" Stefan shouted through the door.

"Just a minute." She managed to croak out, extricating herself quickly from Damon's embrace. If Stefan came in now and saw her entangled with his brother, she knew what would happen next would not be good.

Damon groaned behind her, already aching at the loss of contact. She looked at him over her shoulder as she pulled on her shoes, smiling tightly. "Time to get up."

"Oh, I'm up." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Damon." She paused, knowing that whatever she said next would possibly the most important words she would ever speak.

As though he was thinking the exact same thing, he shook his head and murmured, "Ssshh. Not now."

"Can we come in or would you like another five minutes to make yourselves decent?" Katherine's voice sing-songed through the door.

Damon scrabbled for his clothes, pulled them on in super quick time and then made a haphazard attempt to tidy the bed sheets. "Come in." He bit out.

Katherine, Stefan and a man – vampire – they did not know stepped into the room.

"I'd like you to meet Elijah, our source of information and 'guide' for this little expedition." Katherine examined her nails, apparently already bored.

"Greetings." He bowed his head formally, assessing the occupants of the room. "I must say, I've heard much about the Salvatore brothers, it amuses me to finally be meeting you."

"Amuses?" Damon spat, looking at Katherine with a positively venomous glare.

"I thought you'd be taller." Elijah waved his hand dismissively. "No matter. I find the doppelganger to be of much more interest."

Almost reflexively, Damon moved to stand between Elena and Elijah. "She's of no interest to you, of that I can promise you."

"You were right." Elijah raised an eyebrow in Katherine's direction who smiled suggestively in response.

"Sickening isn't it?"

"And Stefan, you're comfortable with this?" Elijah looked at Stefan quizzically, gesturing to Damon and Elena.

Elena hadn't really looked at Stefan until that moment, more concerned with the presence of the new vampire. She knew instantly that it was then that he saw what she had been trying to hide from him these past weeks.

The realisation bled into his eyes, his fists clenched at his sides as he looked from Elena to Damon and then back to Elena. His eyes darkened.

"Stefan." Damon spoke low and clear. "This is not the time or the place."

He ignored his brother, his eyes fixed intently on Elena. "It's true isn't it?" His voice was snarly and sharp. So much so that Elena couldn't help but physically flinch. "You're fucking him aren't you?"

"We're more alike than you think, aren't we?" Katherine smirked at Elena.

Stefan growled, flashing across the room only to be met halfway by a wild and angry Damon.

"Enough." Elijah stated calmly before extricating the brothers from each other. "Do you not have any manners at all? There are ladies present."

"This isn't over, Damon." Stefan spat as he looked at Elena – the torture evident in his eyes. Elena sobbed as he blurred out of the room.

"Are you happy now?" She stepped round Damon to face Katherine and Elijah, her own eyes flashing despite them being filled with tears.

"Elena – don't." Damon pulled at her arm to move her at least out of their arms reach.

"No – they dragged us out of town on this wild goose chase and happened to wreck all of our lives in the process. Know this, I'm not helping you. Not now – not ever."

"Kitten has claws." Elijah mused. "As much as I wish we had met under better circumstances, we can't escape from the fact that if you do not help us Elena, then all the vampires on this earth will die."

"Nothing would make me happier than to see you dead." Elena snapped.

"And Damon. And Stefan. What of them?" Elijah said quietly. "I understand that Katherine and I are not – what would you say – on your Christmas card list but if you do not help us then you will lose the man you love. Men." He corrected, carefully.

Elena felt Damon tense behind her. She wasn't sure if it was the reference to him dying or the fact that Elijah had made mention of her love for both Stefan _and_ Damon.

After what felt like an eternity to Damon, Elena finally spoke. "What is it that you need to me do?"

* * *

><p>"This is a terrible plan." Damon eyed the cave before them nervously.<p>

"You heard the part about the dying right?" Elena looked up at him with a watery smile. "It'll be quick – in and out." She raised a hand to his face, tracing his cheekbone and jaw line in reassurance.

He tilted into her touch but his eyes remained wide and vulnerable. "It could be you dying in there. I can't be with you to protect you."

"You need to accept that you may not always be around to protect me. That maybe sometimes I am more than capable of protecting myself." She looked down between them, her other hand adorned with a Gilbert ring. "Jeremy."

"We have no way of knowing what's in there. You could still die, Elena. I'm not prepared to let that happen."

"I'm not prepared to let you die either. At least this way, we have a shot. If I don't do it, then your death will be a certainty. Mine isn't."

"I can't lose you. Not now." His voice broke and his eyes became shiny with unshed tears.

"You won't. I promise you right now I will come back." She pressed her lips tentatively against his before stepping a back a little to fix his gaze. "To you."

"What?"

"Damon – I choose you." A tear slipped down her cheek as she saw the amazement and wonder on his face at her words.

He couldn't believe what he had heard. She wanted him. She was going to be with him – not Stefan. She had _chosen_ him.

"It's time, Elena." Elijah appeared at their side. "You must retrieve the amulet before sundown or the witches will be able to harness its power to complete their spell."

"I got it." Elena nodded, shoving her hands in her jean pockets. With one last look at Damon, she turned and disappeared into the mouth of the cave.

* * *

><p>"If anything has happened to her, I swear to God I will rip you apart limb from limb." Damon growled.<p>

It had been twenty minutes since Elena had stepped into the cave.

"I would not have sent her into the cave if it was a certainty that she would not return." Elijah stated calmly.

"Don't worry Damon, there isn't anything _that_ bad in there." Katherine interjected flippantly.

"Shut your mouth." Damon paced in front of the cave, his senses reaching out for any sign of Elena.

"I can assure you-"

"Cut the crap, Elijah. You can assure me of nothing. But let me assure you of this – if anything happens to her, I will make it the mission of my continued undead existence to torture you for the rest of yours." His eyes were dark, black veins webbing the skin around them.

A shuffle from behind him jolted his attention back to the cave. "Elena?" He yelled into the darkness, the invisible barrier holding him at the threshold.

He heard another shuffle and then the scent of blood assaulted his nostrils. "Follow my voice. Come to me, Elena." The echoes of his plea reverberated into the gloom.

Then he saw her, crawling on the floor towards him. Her eyes were shuttering as she fought to maintain consciousness. "Damon…" She whispered hoarsely.

The sight of her broke his heart in that instant. A gash across her left cheek and her right arm covered in blood which he assumed was from a wound on her torso. Her pulse was weak and her skin was pale.

"I'm here – one more push, for me." He crouched down ready to pull her into his arms. She fell onto her stomach half a metre short of his reach, her cry of pain piercing his ears. "Elena, Elena." He spoke loud and firm. "You need to move, baby."

"I can't." She whimpered, her eyelashes fluttering. "It hurts too much."

Behind her, he saw the silhouette of a figure, a figure advancing towards Elena.

"Elena – you need to move and you need to move now." His voice was urgent, panicked.

Elena struggled to focus on him, her consciousness fading. "I'm sorry. I love you."

"Elena!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Your reviews for Chapter 11 were amazing and so incredibly supportive and thoughtful. I loved each and every one of them!<strong>_

_**Thank you again for your amazing support for this story – I hope you enjoyed this latest instalment! Please, please, please review :)**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

><p><em>The sight of her broke his heart in that instant. A gash across her left cheek and her right arm covered in blood which he assumed was from a wound on her torso. Her pulse was weak and her skin was pale.<em>

"_I'm here – one more push, for me." He crouched down ready to pull her into his arms. She fell onto her stomach half a metre short of his reach, her cry of pain piercing his ears. "Elena, Elena." He spoke loud and firm. "You need to move, baby."_

"_I can't." She whimpered, her eyelashes fluttering. "It hurts too much."_

_Behind her, he saw the silhouette of a figure, a figure advancing towards Elena._

"_Elena – you need to move and you need to move now." His voice was urgent, panicked._

_Elena struggled to focus on him, her consciousness fading. "I'm sorry. I love you."_

"_Elena!" _

* * *

><p>"Sub lumine solis et lunae, ego iube te ad regredi." Chanting and a wild wind swept across the clearing knocking Damon clean off his feet. Startled he rolled onto his side to see the Bennett girl advancing towards the cave entrance, reciting her chant over and over.<p>

Alarmed, he looked again into the gloom seeing the figure which had been advancing towards Elena begin to blend back into the shadows as though in pain. _Thank god._

As the winds died, he jumped to his feet to stand by Bonnie. She waved a hand dismissively as she took a breath and began another chant.

"Terra, ventus, mare, ignis. Oleum, aer, sal, flamma. Flectere hoc obice."

With a shove, to his right shoulder he found himself inside the mouth of the cavern and able to reach Elena's broken body. Without pause, he lifted her into his arms and carried her out into the clearing.

"She needs to drink, Damon." Bonnie's voice was trembling as she wiped her nose clean of blood.

"But what if-" He bent over Elena, his face crumpled in torment.

"Her pulse is weak but there is still time. I wouldn't ask you to do this if I knew there was even a chance she would become a vampire." Her eyes met his, unfaltering in their wilful stare.

He nicked the skin on his wrist and forced it between Elena's lips so his blood could drip down her throat.

"How did you know?" Damon murmured.

"Jeremy told me that Elena took his ring. Then Stefan came to see me and told me about Katherine and Elijah's plan – who are notably missing." Bonnie began to pace the clearing. "What I still don't know is why neither of you thought to tell me about this?"

"It all happened so fast. We were out of town before we even knew what she was being asked to do and she was so sure that she would make it, she wanted to do this. To save me." His voice broke and his tears fell.

"Your love for her makes you weak, Damon. You are the one that I trusted to protect her no matter what. It's Stefan that believes in choice and free will whereas you and me both know there is often no place for that in a town like this." Her voice was low yet devoid of any emotion. Instead, she watched him intently as he broke down over the body of her friend.

He stroked Elena's hair as he considered his response. Yesterday, he would have been angry at the witch for even daring to question his love for Elena but today, today was different. "You don't understand. Today wasn't the same. It was different because she _did_ have a choice, not only to save me but also to be with me. To be with me and not Stefan. And if I had removed that choice from her, then where would we be?"

"_She_ would be alive."

"And alone, and heartbroken. A shell. Just like when her parents died. What kind of man would I be if I took a choice from her which had the chance to make her happy and left her instead with only grief and desolation. Even if she had gone in that cave and come out only to have changed her mind and gone running back to him, at least I would know that Elena would be somewhere on this earth, alive and happy and fulfilled." He looked up at the witch then to see her own eyes filled with tears. "Sometimes we just can't escape the necessity of choice or the risks that go with it."

It was then that he felt movement at his wrist. Elena was awake and now she was gulping down his blood, her lips fastened to his skin as her tongue elicited a faster stream of blood then was forthcoming. "That's it. Keep drinking." He couldn't help but groan in response to the sight of her devouring his blood so eagerly and so wantonly.

Bonnie flushed a little before stepping back. "I'll meet you at the Boarding House. I'm assuming you'll be taking her there to recover."

He looked down at Elena, her eyes wide and fixed on his as she continued to flick her tongue against his wound. "Yes, yes I will."

* * *

><p>Elena awoke to the sound of hushed voices. Her vision was foggy but she could see enough to know she was in Damon's bedroom, wrapped up in the sheets of his plush bed. <em>This isn't how I imagined my first time here to be…<em> She mused, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips with the irony.

The last thing she remembered was drinking Damon's blood, the sensation of the smooth liquid caressing her throat as she clung onto Damon like a life raft. Which essentially, he had been. She had been close to death and he had given her his blood to save her. And Bonnie – Bonnie had been there. Bonnie had made it possible for Damon to carry her from the cave as she hadn't been able to get out by herself. Damon had been right, she couldn't protect herself.

She had been powerless against the creature in the cave when it had attacked. On first entering the cave, she thought it to be an easy task – no monsters, just winding tunnels and creepy noises. And as she had retrieved the amulet from the circular room somewhere deep in the labyrinth, she knew that getting out wouldn't be as easy as getting in. So she had ran, ran hard but blindly and before she knew it she was lost and being chased by a faceless demon.

"You're awake." Damon couldn't help but grin as he stepped into the room with a tray of soup and a glass of water. "I'm told that you need to eat and drink something to build your strength up."

"I feel strong. I've eaten already, remember." She managed to whisper, coyly. "It's just my senses are little out of whack."

"Yeah, that'll be the blood. You're not wired to deal with the sensory awareness that vampire blood gives you. And because of the amount that you took – that you needed – it's had the effect of making you feel high and tripped out."

"Oh, I feel high alright." She giggled a little and let her head fall back into the pillow.

"High is better than dead." Damon placed the tray down and carefully sat on the bed next to her.

"Amen to that." She replied, a little more seriously this time. "How long was I gone?"

He swallowed hard. "You weren't physically dead – not quite but almost. Your pulse had slowed and you were losing a lot of blood. Bonnie got to you in time."

She watched his face carefully as he relived those moments when he thought she was going to die, that she wasn't going to make it back to him. "I kept my promise though, didn't I? I came back to you."

"Through sheer dumb luck. And with thanks to Jeremy and Stefan." Despite what he had said to Bonnie, he had to live with the fact that if it hadn't been for their brothers, Elena wouldn't be alive at all.

"How things happen doesn't matter, it's the fact that they happen at all." She reached for his hand. "All of the things that have happened to us these past weeks, these past two years even, brought me to you."

He looked at her, lying in his bed, her hair spanning his pillows and her eyes sparkling with life and happiness. "And I'll spend my eternity making sure you're never taken from me." He leant down and pressed his lips to hers, the fervour of her response almost undoing him on the spot.

"As touching as all of this is, I need my amulet." Elijah stepped into the room, flanked by Katherine.

"Your sense of timing sucks as usual." Damon murmured as he pulled himself away from Elena and stood to meet the intruders.

"I'm sorry that our impending deaths mean that you have to delay your fuck-fest but we have other places to be." Katherine was agitated. "Where is the amulet?"

"Bonnie has it. She's expecting you." Damon grinned as he saw their faces drop. "I'm sorry, was I not meant to give it to a Bennett witch?"

"What does she know?" Elijah asked, his face returning to its usual inscrutable expression.

"Well, I told her what you told us but I'm betting she knows a whole lot more by now." Damon rocked on his heels, amused at their hesitance. "I suggest you run along and see what witchy-poo has to say."

Elijah turned and left the room without a word. Katherine however, stepped around Damon to look at Elena. "Incase you were wondering, Stefan is leaving Mystic Falls with me and Elijah. He said he can't bear to stick around and see you making moon eyes at his brother."

"Congratulations, Katherine. We both got we wanted." Elena replied, her voice steady and firm. "I hope you will be very happy together."

Katherine opened her mouth, a quick retort at the ready. Instead, she closed her mouth and turned to leave. But not before she looked over her shoulder with a smirk and a wink.

"Now, Damon Salvatore, I think your bed-side manner could use a little work."

"Is that so?" Damon growled and allowed her to pull him back down on to the bed.

* * *

><p><em><strong>This chapter is posted now for those who pleaded with me not to leave it too long to update after the evil cliff hanger from the last chapter. I'm so glad you liked it and posted lovely reviews! <strong>_

_**If I'm honest, this chapter pretty much wrote itself despite all my pre-planned ideas, it just feels right to end it here… but don't worry, there is an epilogue still to come!**_

_**I can't believe this journey is almost over – and I can't believe so many of you have joined me on it! This was my first fan fiction! I have been hugely grateful to all those who have supported this story and me as a writer. I know at times it hasn't been perfect and some of you may not have been happy with it as a whole but I have learnt from all your feedback and constructive criticism and feel that you have helped me to improve so much. **_

_**I'm thinking already of new stories to write and plan to 'plan' much better for my new journey – if any of you have any ideas/requests I would be grateful to hear them as I would like to write something that not just I would like to read but something you all would like to read to :)**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Title: After Dark**

**Summary: Elena can't sleep and Damon is dying to find out why…**

**Rating: M, eventually **

_Disclaimer: I don't, in any way, profit from this story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s) – no copyright infringement is intended._

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><p><em><strong>Ok – so here is the long awaited epilogue and it's bumper-sized, Delena style! The plot is done and now we are left with the hot Delena goodness… I really hope you enjoy as it pretty much killed me to write this and be even half happy with it!<strong>_

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><p><em>Elijah turned and left the room without a word. Katherine however, stepped around Damon to look at Elena. "Incase you were wondering, Stefan is leaving Mystic Falls with me and Elijah. He said he can't bear to stick around and see you making moon eyes at his brother."<em>

"_Congratulations, Katherine. We both got we wanted." Elena replied, her voice steady and firm. "I hope you will be very happy together."_

_Katherine opened her mouth, a quick retort at the ready. Instead, she closed her mouth and turned to leave. But not before she looked over her shoulder with a smirk and a wink._

"_Now, Damon Salvatore, I think your bed-side manner could use a little work."_

"_Is that so?" Damon growled and allowed her to pull him back down on to the bed._

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><p><em><strong>3 Months Later<strong>_

_Dearest Elena,_

_I write to you only now that I feel I can truly express my feelings for you and about the paths our lives have now taken. Please understand it was not my intent to make you afraid of me and it certainly was not my intent to cause you any pain. I hope you can understand the reasons behind me leaving Mystic Falls, especially the reasons behind my choice to leave with Katherine. We have spoken much about our time apart, my issues with human blood and our rediscovery of our feelings for each other and she has asked me to pass to you that which you will find enclosed with this letter. Her insight is evidently much more attuned than my own. I would like you to know Elena, that I harbour no grudges against you and my brother and though your bond troubles me, I wish you both an eternity of happiness wherever you may find it. I am sure that whatever course we are both on, we are on it for a reason even if we find ourselves separated in our journey. It may be worth little now but I will always remember the girl I met, who I talked with and how epic it truly was._

_With my sincerest kind wishes,_

_Stefan_

Elena couldn't help but blink back tears as she re-read Stefan's neat script. Tipping the envelope, a necklace with two pendants dropped into her lap. On closer examination she noted they were small coins – old coins which she didn't recognise – one double sided and one with two different sides. She couldn't help but smile then. Typical Katherine, ironic until the last.

"What's that?" Damon padded into the room, a mug of blood and a steaming hot coffee in his hands, nodding at the letter and the pendants.

"I got a letter. From Stefan. And a gift from Katherine."

Damon placed the cups on his bedside table and picked up the letter to read. "Always with the formal and flowery prose. And in a letter! Doesn't he know he could just send a text or an e-mail?"

"Oh, please. He's giving us his blessing. It means we don't have to spend our time looking over our shoulders like we have been doing for the past three months."

"I'm pleased to see he addressed it to you here." Damon noted flippantly as he scrutinised the coins. "Who'd have thought it, Katherine is getting all sentimental."

"I think that's her way of giving us her blessing to."

"Like we need it." Damon sputtered.

"We do if we're going to stay alive." Elena replied quietly.

Damon grumbled. "Fair point, but still. How dare they assume that what they do with their weirdo whacked out lives is of any interest to us?"

"I know baby." Elena cooed sarcastically. "Like we're bothered if they're going to try and kill us hmmm?"

"Let them try." His eyes were narrowed and his tone serious, completely oblivious to the mocking tone of Elena's voice.

Rolling her eyes, Elena climbed out of bed and picked up her coffee. "Shower and school for me."

Damon hardly noticed as he picked up Stefan's letter to re-read it.

* * *

><p>Elena was in her last class of the day and she was feeling restless. The letter from Stefan had been a weight lifted from her shoulders yet it had stirred up her emotions at the same time. She didn't regret for a moment that she had chosen Damon over Stefan and she had no issue with Stefan being with Katherine.<p>

But what she did have issue with was that now, now the danger was officially over and impending death was not the order of the day, that Damon might get bored of her. They'd spent much of the last three months on alert, researching animal attacks in the hope of at least tracking Katherine and Stefan's whereabouts in the spirit of forewarned being forearmed as well as securing the destruction of the amulet that had caused much of the mayhem in the first place.

But now, it was just them and tomorrow. And the day after that and the day after that. What if Damon realised she wasn't enough for him either? Sure they'd slept in each other's bed a lot and they'd kissed an awful lot but they hadn't quite worked up to actually going the whole way. They'd never gone as far as that night in the motel… She'd originally put that down to the worry and the stress of their circumstances but then she'd realised that while she wasn't actively avoiding it, she was also not encouraging it either.

She knew Damon wouldn't pressure her in anyway and she'd taken advantage of that fact but when she'd read Stefan's wish that they spend an eternity of happiness together, it made the absence of their intimacy incredibly apparent. And it wasn't for the lack of want or desire – well not on her part for sure. She'd craved him so much that at times her skin felt too tight for her body but ultimately, something held her back.

She was afraid.

Afraid what it would mean, that it would consume her, that she wouldn't be able to tell the difference of where she ended and he began.

Afraid that all she could think of was him biting her …. Afraid that she may actually want the eternity that Stefan had referred to. And what he would think of her for wanting such a thing.

Her phone vibrated in her jacket, startling her from her thoughts. Waiting until the teacher was looking the other away, she took it from her pocket and snapped it open in her lap.

_1 New Message_

_7pm, the Boarding House, wear something hot_

Her stomach flip-flopped upon reading his message. He was clearly tired of waiting.

She tapped out a reply.

_Are you saying I don't usually look hot Mr. Salvatore?_

It didn't take long before a response came back.

_Ok, wear nothing at all_

Elena felt her cheeks flush bright red. She dropped her head letting her hair fall over her face, opting to decline from responding before she got herself into trouble in more ways than one.

* * *

><p>When she arrived at the Boarding House, dusk was settling over Mystic Falls. The watery sun had dropped beneath the horizon and a chill tainted the previously warm air. It hadn't been an ideal night to wear her little black dress and five inch stiletto fuck-me heels but she'd sacrificed warmth for 'hot' – the irony. She shifted uneasily in her heels as she stood at the door, contemplating whether to knock or not. Then the door flung open and she almost fell into the hallway in surprise.<p>

"Since when do you knock?"

"Since when do I get formally invited?" Elena shot back, her eyes feasting on the raven haired vampire leaning on the door frame before her. He was wearing an indigo shirt which only served to enhance the cerulean of his eyes and tight black jeans and biker style boots to further add to his bad-boy look.

Damon grinned at her, his gaze appraising her outfit. "Since I have to stipulate a dress code and to ensure you are on time for your surprise."

Elena cocked her head, amused. "You know I don't like surprises."

"You'll love this one." He pulled her into the house and settled his hand on the small of her back, guiding her along the hallway, through the kitchen and into a room she'd never been in before. He followed her closely, his breath hot on her neck causing her to involuntarily shiver. She could feel the tightening already at the slightest of touches and his proximity. She was not going to survive the night, she was sure.

They were in a dining room, slightly smaller than the one she'd seen on previous occasions on the other side of the house and much less imposing. A long mahogany table was set for two at one end, with a feast of mouth-watering Italian dishes on display in the centre. Soft classical music filled the room and a scattered array of candles, bathed the scene in a hazy amber glow.

"Damon – this is-" Elena started, trying to swallow past the lump in her throat.

"I know, I'm a man of many talents right?" He grinned, happy at her reaction and at the same time trying to make her feel at ease. He to felt the arrival of Stefan's letter had lifted a weight from their shoulders and at the same time, gave them the neon flashing light they needed to start looking to the future. No more death, no more danger – just him and Elena, just as he always wanted it to be. But what did she want? He wasn't sure he was brave enough to find out.

"Talented indeed, Mr. Salvatore." She smiled at him shyly as he pulled out a chair for her.

"Only the best for my woman." He murmured, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head. He smirked as he saw her body react at his touch yet again. She was a coiled spring, that much he was sure of.

"What's on the menu?" She peered at the dishes in the centre of the table.

"Homemade Italian Beef Chili of the non-sucky variety topped with cheese and cream served with rice followed by homemade chocolate fudge cake of the Mystic Grill variety." He passed her the serving spoon and held out the dishes as she helped herself to a rather sizable portion.

"Looks delicious." She watched him serve up his own portion and politely waited for him to sit before she began to tuck in.

They ate in a companionable silence, content with the sound of the music playing softly in the background. Only when Elena placed her knife and fork on the now empty plate did she dare to speak. "What's all this in aid of?"

"A celebration of sorts – a marking of an event in time which I am sure when we look back will hold great significance for us." He replied thoughtfully, reaching for the now half empty bottle of red wine to top up his glass. "That and I thought it would be nice if we could spend some real quality time together without us thinking we're going to get our heads ripped off at any moment."

Elena giggled. "As good a reason as any – but that doesn't explain the dress code."

He took a sip of his wine then, his eyes meeting hers across the tall, white candle aflame between them. "That was purely selfish on my part. Any excuse for a good stare."

She gasped and half-heartedly kicked at his shin under the table. "I froze my ass off on the way over here just so you could have a good stare?"

"Well, I did say to wear nothing at all – you could have come in your jeans and stripped in the hallway-" Another swift kick to the shins had him doubled over cursing in mild pain as he attempted to rub away the sharp throb. "Those heels are good for something huh?" He quipped.

Elena was smiling through the whole exchange, loving their banter and the ease at which they exchanged barbed comments.

"Seriously, Elena." He stood and moved around the table, bending down to meet her at eye-level. "I read Stefan's letter a hundred times and only did I figure out why when I realised that he wished us an eternity of happiness together. Not a lifetime, an eternity."

"Eternity is one hell of a long time." Elena whispered, nervously tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Yeah. And it made me think about a lot of things." He was all serious now, his gaze fixing hers as he spoke. "And I need you to know Elena, that whatever happens between us, wherever we end up, I would never ever pressure you into doing something that you didn't want to do."

"You mean like become a vampire?" Her voice cracked and his eyes dulled a little.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I want a future for us but I want you to know that when I talk about the future, it doesn't mean that I want – I mean, need – you to change who you are or what you want."

"I want you." Elena replied simply. Her heart was pounding in her chest now. She had no idea that tonight would lead to this. It was so soon to be opening up her heart to him when they had barely had time to be together, to explore each other properly. Taking a deep breath, she threw caution to the wind and asked him the question she'd been fighting against asking. "Do you not want me? I mean – to become a vampire.

He inhaled sharply telling himself that this girl would be the true death of him. He knew that the response he gave to this question would be the making or the breaking of them. He watched as she searched his face for the smallest clue as to what he was thinking. "Elena, to be with you for eternity would be the biggest privilege you could ever bestow upon me but not at the expense of your desire for a normal life, with children and grandchildren and a husband to grow old with."

Elena blinked at him, her eyes watery as she processed what he had just said to her.

Now he'd started, he just couldn't stop. "I mean, I know you were pretty clear with Stefan about not wanting to turn and you were all kinds of mad when I fed you my blood so I have a clear view about where this is heading." He coughed as he prepared himself to finish what he had started. "So I guess what I am saying is that I'll be here for you Elena, I'll love you for as long as you'll have me and when you don't want me anymore, I'll continue to love you for what is left of my eternity even if you're not there to share it with me."

She gasped then, she couldn't help herself. Her senses were on overload as an emotional tidal wave flooded her body. Just hearing him say the words was enough to squeeze her heart in her chest.

He stood up and stepped back, eyeing her warily as he saw her tears spill down her cheeks. He'd knew he'd end up making her cry and he still didn't have a damned clue what to do about it. He just knew that it was important for her to know that although he would love her and cherish her, he'd let her go whenever she wanted to be freed even if it would kill him in the process. He didn't want her to feel the way she had ended up feeling with Stefan, claustrophobic, imprisoned, and unhappy. He just couldn't bear it. He'd walk away before he did that to her.

"I'm sorry Damon." She sniffled as she wiped the tear tracks from her cheeks with the back of her hand haphazardly.

He waited, deciding the best thing to do for the moment was to stay quiet. He'd said enough and he had to prepare himself for whatever it was she was going to say to him.

"I'm sorry that I have made you doubt what I feel for you, even for a moment. I'm sorry that you don't believe that I could give what you've wanted for so long, true and unconditional love. But you need to know Damon, that that night in the motel – that night taught me something about what I want." She paused, watching his face as he now processed what it was she was saying to him. His arms were crossed over his chest and his expression was carefully guarded. Determined, she continued. "I want to be the person that gives you what you want, what you need. No matter how many times you stand in front of me and tell me that you'll willingly let me go, you need to know that that is what I don't want. You need to know that I can give you what you want because I want it to."

As they stared at each other, him two paces back and standing and her sat curled as small as she could manage on the tall backed chair, the air in the room changed.

"Are you saying-"

"I'm saying that forever is where I'm at. Forever is what I want. But tonight – I just want you to touch me. Because if you don't, I feel like I might actually stop breathing."

He closed his eyes, his arms dropping to his sides as he remembered the dream that they had shared and the wish that he had made that she would not only say those words to him but to really mean them. And here she was, giving him everything that he ever wanted. How could he ever truly deserve this girl?

"Damon."

He opened his eyes to find she was standing now, right in front of him – pressing against him from hip to toe. Unable to suppress his desire any longer he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers. The whimper that his kiss elicited from her was his undoing as he slanted his lips over hers more forcefully, his hands threading through her hair.

She stumbled as she felt him guiding her along the side of the table, hearing the thud of a chair as it fell onto the carpet. Passion overwhelmed her like liquid fire as their tongues duelled, his hands dropping to her hips as he lifted her onto the table. Without thinking, she spread her legs and almost immediately, he stepped between them, his hands stroking her bare thighs as he shucked up her dress.

"Is this too soon?" He panted as he bent his head to her neck and licked from the lobe of her ear to her collarbone.

Bucking at the feel of his tongue on her neck, she pressed her hips forward and ground them against the solid bulge in his jeans. "Don't stop, keep doing that." She managed to gasp out as he renewed his efforts on sensually licking the soft skin behind her ear and over the bare expanse of her neck.

The mewling sounds she was making were driving him crazy, let alone the hot way she was writhing up against his body. The press of the seam of his jeans against his cock was creating a delicious friction but he knew he'd rather walk in the sun without his ring on than stop doing whatever it was that was sending her pulse skyrocketing so fast that it was pounding in his ears as thought it was his own.

He gently grazed his teeth over her pulse point and then, as she let out the most wonderful groan he had ever heard did he realise what it was that was getting her so worked up. With difficulty, he managed to lean back a little to look into her eyes, almost coming undone himself when he saw how drugged on pleasure she was.

"Tell me what you want, Elena." He whispered hoarsely.

"You." She cried as she clawed at his back through his shirt.

"Tell me what you need, Elena." He ducked his head and nibbled along her jawline and round to her neck again.

"I need you to bite me." She managed to gasp as he bit down harder, almost breaking her skin.

Her hips bucked even more wildly against him as she felt the pressure blooming low in the depths of her belly. He hadn't even touched her intimately and she was about to come harder than she had in her entire life.

Aware of her increasing and fast growing need and the fact that he was about to lose it in his jeans, he managed to wrestle a hand between them and unpop the button of his jeans. At the sound, Elena moaned low and long as she set to work at his zipper, kicking off her shoes so she could push his pants down to his knees with her heels.

"I need you in me… In all ways." She wrapped her legs around his waist drawing him towards her, wrapping her arms around tightly around his neck.

His eyes darkened at her words and his veins webbed around his eyes. He could feel how wet she was as he rubbed his hardness along her entrance, teasing her bundle of nerves on every upward stroke. "So wet for me…" He said in wonder as gripped her hips and pulled her right to the edge of the table.

Without pause, he lined himself up and slowly slid his length inside her inch by agonising inch. Before she could cry out, he had dropped his head to her neck, his elongated fangs piercing the skin at her throat. Her blood spilled into his mouth, his tongue lapping gently at the wound as she came apart in his arms like a woman possessed. Placing her hands behind her on the table, she lifted her hips and began rolling her hips, thrusting herself back and forth along the length of his cock.

The final thread of his control snapping, his hips snapped quickly as he drank down her essence tasting the pleasure, abandon and fire of her love for him as it poured from her vein and into his body.

Her head was spinning as she felt each pull on the skin of her neck and the thrust of his hips against her own. She knew it would feel like this, like she was aflame – consumed with the need for him to possess her, to take her and to give him a part of herself in a way that she would give to nobody else.

Then he changed the angle and she was soaring off the edge of the cliff. The coil low in her belly unfurled and sparks lit up behind her eyelids as she felt her entire body tense with the onslaught of the overwhelming pleasure he was levelling against her body.

And then she came undone, gracelessly and totally she fell apart in his arms as her body began to shudder and her brain shut down with the sheer bliss of having this man inside of her, body and soul.

At the feel of her tense and her inner muscles clench around him, Damon threw his head back and roared as he pounded quickly – one, two, three times – before exploding deep inside her.

And just when she thought she couldn't take any more she threw her arms back around his neck and bit into his neck as she crested another wave. The taste of his blood in her mouth was enough to force a total body shut down as she gasped and collapsed against his chest.

They were silent and still for a long time, conscious that they were in effect holding each other up, neither daring to move.

Finally, Elena mumbled into his chest. "That was amazing, scary and beautiful… Is it always like that?"

He chuckled at her words, his hands trailing up and down her sides making nonsensical shapes. "Not in my experience."

"Seriously, it's never been-"

He leaned back to meet her eyes, keen to look at her squarely when he responded. "Like my world was ending and beginning all at the same time? No. Never."

"Oh." She answered with a small voice, her cheeks flushing a bright red.

He cocked his head, watching her carefully. "I am the only vampire to bite you… like that, right?"

"Right." She nodded vigorously, her flush spreading down her neck as she remembered the intensity of the experience that they had just shared.

"Good. Because I would hate to think that you had shared that with – anyone else." He looked at her, his expression open, vulnerable and relieved all at the same time.

"I never wanted to. Not before you." She admitted, a coy smile playing across her lips.

He groaned, his pupils dilating at her confession. "I'm going to take you to bed now."

"But we didn't eat the chocolate fudge cake…" She teased, looking pointedly at the untouched dessert.

"We can bring it with us." He raised a brow and smirked. "Now, no more talking…"

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><p><em><strong>And there you have it, the final part of my first fanfic. Just to say again a huge thank you to all of those who have read, reviewed, added me and this story to their reviews… it's been an amazing experience. <strong>_

_**I'm still in the process of gathering ideas for a new story and I would be really, really grateful if you could not only review this chapter but also share any ideas/requests as I really would like to write something that not just I would like to read but something you all would like to read to xxxx**_


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